When War Comes Knocking
by AlwaysxOkay
Summary: Four years after the Battle of Hogwarts they all thought they were done with fighting, but When War Comes Knocking, they come running. They all have to learn to forget. Draco has to trust the three people that might hate him the most. Hermione has to learn to forgive. And the two of them might just learn to love. Dramione. Rated M for violence, language, and possible smut.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

Harry strode through St. Mungo's hospital with a purpose. This case had been dropped on him last minute because no one else in the department had been willing to take it. All he wanted was to go to the Burrow for Sunday dinner like he had been planning to, but now he had to deal with this.

He walked over to the nurses station. "Hello, I'm Harry Potter. I'm here on an Auror case," he said to a young nurse sitting at the desk.

She looked at him like he were her favorite meal. He was used to that. After saving the wizarding world and all, he tended to attract attention.

"Yes, he's in room 1230," she said smiling.

"Thank you." Harry began to navigate through the halls until he reached room 1230. He pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"What are you doing here?" the man in the bed asked. The man's voice wasn't cold or filled with malice like Harry had expected. He seemed mostly confused. Harry knew he had changed since his days at Hogwarts, but he was still surprised."

"Hello Malfoy," Harry said walking towards the bed. "I'm the auror that has been assigned to your case."

"Fantastic," Malfoy muttered and then grunted with pain as he shifted in bed.

 _So he's still a bit of a git,_ Harry thought to himself. "So what happened?"

"I was attacked," Malfoy said.

 _Not surprising._ Harry looked Malfoy over. His nose appeared broken and he had bruises under both of his eyes. His left forearm was wrapped in a white bandage, as was most of his torso. "I can see that, but what exactly happened?"

Malfoy glared at him. "Well I was in Diagon Alley and I had just come from Gringotts when three guys in dark cloaks and masks attacked me."

Harry wasn't surprised. A lot of people didn't like Malfoy that much. He assumed that it was just a mugging.

"So you didn't see their faces?" Malfoy shook his head no. "How much money did you take out of gringotts?"

"About a hundred galleons," Malfoy said.

Harry snorted. _Rich bastard._ "And they took the money?"

"No Potter, they didn't. I wasn't mugged. It was an attack."

Harry was surprised. Why would someone attack a person and not take the money the victim had? "So you think it was a planned attack?"

"That's exactly what I think," Malfoy said firmly. Harry could tell he wasn't making this up. He seemed nervous. Harry didn't blame him. Any ex-Death Eaters considered Draco and Narcissa Malfoy traitors.

"Okay Malfoy, I look into it," Harry said ready to leave.

Malfoy seemed annoyed he was leaving but nodded. "Thank you Potter."

Harry was surprised by Malfoy's thanks but nodded back. "It's my job. Call the office if you need anything. Harry then left and headed to the Burrow.

* * *

Harry stepped out of the fireplace and into the livingroom of the Burrow. He could hear noise coming from the kitchen and walked in there. Ron and George sat at the kitchen table playing a game of wizard's chess. Hermione was already there and she was the first to see him. "Hello Harry," she said smiling.

"Hello Hermione," Harry said hugging her. Then he was greeted by Molly Weasley who was standing at the stove cooking dinner.

Harry walked over to Ginny who was standing behind Hermione. He kissed her and smiled. "Hello there."

She laughed and kissed him again. "How was work?" she asked.

Harry groaned slightly. He really didn't want to deal with this Malfoy thing. "I have a new case that is a real pain in the ass," He said sitting at the table next to Ron. Ginny sat on the other side of him and Hermione sat across from him.

"What's the case mate?" Ron asked as he took down George's king.

Harry swallowed. "It's Draco Malfoy." Everyone was silent for a moment, then they all started to talk at once.

"What did he do?"

"Was it Dark Arts?"

"Bloody fucking git."

"Ronald!"

Harry shushed them then waited a moment before talking. "He was attacked in Diagon Alley earlier today."

"Attacked by who?" Ginny asked. Ron snorted.

"Everybody wants to attack Draco fucking Malfoy," Ron said. Harry could not disagree.

"That's what I thought," Harry said, "but he had 100 galleons on him and they didn't even take one." Ginny and George weren't phased by this information, but it intrigued Hermione and Ron.

Hermione, Ron, and Harry all worked in crime. Harry was an Auror, Ron was a Magical Law Enforcement Agent and Hermione was an analyst in the the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

"So you think it was a planned assault?" Hermione asked. Ginny and George just looked back and forth between the three best investigators in the Ministry.

"That's what Malfoy thinks, but I don't know a lot of people want to hurt him," Harry said.

Molly Weasley came over to the table and interrupted the conversation. "That's enough work talk for today. The three of you need to relax," she said. "Now Hermione come help me with this chicken and Ginny go get me some tomatoes from the garden."

Ginny and Hermione did as Molly said and the men changed the subject to a conversation of quidditch.

There was a blood curdling scream.

Harry felt chills as he recognized the scream too easily. He hadn't heard it since the battle of Hogwarts when he was announced dead, but he still remembered it clear as day.

The scream belonged to Ginny.

Harry was out of his seat faster than he thought possible he ran outside followed by Hermione who was then followed by Ron.

Ginny stood at the garden staring down at something in the plants.

"Gin what happened?" Harry yelled running towards her. He stopped in his tracks staring down at what Ginny had screamed about. Hermione stopped at his side and he heard a small gasp escape her.

"Shit," Ron muttered coming up next to Hermione.

Stareing backup at them with lifeless eyes was a dead man covered in blood.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Hermione's muscles tightened as she fell into her work mindset. Harry was already one step ahead of her. He knelt down next to the man and began to search him.

Ron grabbed Ginny and began to usher her towards the house, handing her off to is mother halfway there. He then told George to Floo The Minister of Magic.

Hermione's attention was on the body. The man had mousy brown hair and a thin nose. Harry reached into the front pocket of the man's muggle jacket and pulled out a piece of paper with a few bloody fingerprints on it and a small vile of silvery liquid. Harry brought the two objects over to Hermione while Ron took Harry's place in searching the body and the rest of the garden.

"All I found was this note and the vial," Harry said handing it to her.

Hermione unfolded the note and read it while Harry read over her shoulder.

 _Watch the memories. Help us. Save us._

"What the fuck?" Harry muttered after reading the note. Hermione couldn't think of a better statement to describe how she felt. Just what the fuck.

"I can't find a wand on him," Ron said standing up. "If I had to guess, the poor bloke is a muggle."

Hermione looked back at the body and noticed something odd in the folds of his shirt. She walked over and looked closer.

"Shit," she breathed. She hadn't seen one of these in years. She didn't even know there were any left. They certainly were not just dealing with a dead muggle. She bent down and unclasped the time turner from the man's neck and brought it over to Harry.

"Is this a-."

"Yes Harry, that is a Time Turner," Hermione said. She looked back at the man and noticed something else odd. "I don't think that's his blood."

"What?" Ron asked.

"He has no wounds but he's covered in blood," Hermione pointed out.

"I need some fucking liquor," Harry muttered running his hand through his already messy hair. Hermione didn't blame him. She could use a drink herself. There was a pop behind them. They all turned around to see Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt standing there.

"Minister," Harry said stepping forward.

"What's happened here?" Kingsley asked Harry.

"A body appeared out of nowhere," Harry explained slowly, attempting to not sound too crazy. "I think it's a case for the Auror Department but I'd like to bring Ron and Hermione in on it as they're already apart of it."

The Minister nodded. "I trust you Potter," he said. "Properly collect your evidence and bring it back to the Ministry."

Harry nodded and the Minister left. Hermione had already started casting charms on the pieces of evidence to preserve them. She then conjured bags to put them in and handed them to Ron. "Here I'm going to collect some blood samples."

She walked over to the body and bent down next to it. She conjured multiple vials and cotton swabs and began to collect sample from different areas of the body. She then put those in a bag and scrawled a note onto the bag with a marker to inform the forensics department to rush the tests.

Suddenly Harry grabbed her wrist as she was writing. "Harry!"

He shushed her. "Ron can you give me the note," Harry said holding out his other hand while note looking away from when Hermione had written. Ron passed him the bag with the note in it. Harry opened the bag and took out the note holding it up to what Hermione was holding.

"Fuck 'mione," Harry muttered.

"What? What is it?" She couldn't figure out what he was talking about. Then she noticed it. Her eyes widened and she choked on her breath. The handwriting was exactly the same.

"Harry I-"

"Hermione. Do not say anything," Harry demanded. She knew how this worked. Anything she said could be used to build a case against her. She swallowed her words.

Ron looked back and forth between the two of them finally realizing what they were talking about. "Shit."

"Ron take everything to evidence and the body to the morgue then meet us in interrogation room b," Harry said taking the blood out of Hermione's hands and handing it to Ron. Ron nodded. Harry then tightly gripped Hermione's elbow and apparated to the Ministry.

There were two apparition points in the entire Ministry of Magic. One in the main atrium and one in the Auror Department to eliminate the chances of criminals escaping during transportation. Harry marched through the department, never once letting go of Hermione's arm.

"Hello Potter, back already?" an older Auror asked. Harry simply nodded at the man and kept walking.

They finally reached the interrogation rooms and entered room B. Harry closed the door behind them and placed a silencing charm on the room. Hermione sat down at the table in front of them as Harry sat across from her.

Harry took a deep breath and rubbed his temples. "Hermione did you kill that man?"

"No Harry. I did not," she said firmly.

"I believe you but that note was definitely your handwriting. Did you write the note?"

"No I did not write the note. It definitely was my handwriting, I won't argue that, but I didn't write it," she said. She was exhausted. She had been planning on a nice dinner at the Weasley's and now look where she was.

There was a small knock on the door. Harry stood up and opened the door. It was a small man named Arnold. He was one of the forensic workers. Hermione had often worked close with him. He was a nice man.

"Officer Weasley dropped this off not long ago. I was told to rush the results," Arnold said handing Harry the bag that Hermione had put the vials of blood into.

"Thank you Arnold," Hermione said from her seat. Harry glared at her. She hadn't been allowed to talk yet. As Arnold left she rolled her eyes "Harry I didn't kill anyone." Harry just ignored her staring down at the results from the blood.

"Bloody fuck Hermione," he muttered.

"What is it?" she said getting up and walking over to him. He didn't stop her.

"I'm finding it hard to believe you Hermione," he said then sighed. "It's your blood."

Hermione's head felt dizzy and she felt the need to sit down again but she kept standing.

"Hermione, all of the evidence points to you," Harry said his voice was rough as if he had something stuck in his throat. "I have to investigate you as an official suspect."

Hermione's head was spinning. This is not how she had expected this day to go. "Wait Harry," she said realizing something. "It couldn't have been me. The amount of blood on that man was fatal. Who ever's blood that is, is probably dead."

Harry considered this and realized she was right. Hermione wouldn't have been able to survive that much blood loss. She also didn't have a scratch on her. "Then what the fuck happened?" Harry yelled. He was frustrated. "All I wanted to do was have some dinner and then my girlfriend found a fucking corpse in her garden."

Hermione almost wanted to laugh. The trouble never stopped for them did it?

The door opened and Ron walked in. "I found something else guys," he said handing a small crumpled piece of paper to Harry. Hermione hoped it wouldn't make her look guilty as well. "It was stuffed into the blokes hand. I don't know what this is supposed to mean."

Hermione walked over and looked at what Harry was holding. It was a muggle picture, the kind that didn't move. The picture was slightly worn as if someone had carried it everywhere with them. There was a bloody fingerprint in the bottom left corner and at the top there was a label. _Order Of The Phoenix, March 1st, 2004._ It was currently October 15th, 2002. This was also Hermione's handwriting. However it was what was in the picture that shocked her the most. It was people she knew, her friends, but different. Older, tired, worn.

The people in the picture stood in two rows in what looked like the kitchen of Grimmauld place. On the top row from left to right was Arthur, George, Angelina Johnson, Lee Jordan, Dean Thomas, Ron, Pansy Parkinson, Luna, Seamus Finnigan, Katie Bell, Charlie, and Kingsley. Then in the second row was Molly, Percy, Blaise Zabini, Draco Malfoy, Hermione, Ginny, Harry, Neville, Hannah Abbott, Fleur, Bill, and McGonagall.

 _This picture can't be real_ Hermione thought to herself. What were Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, and Draco Malfoy doing in the Order? They seemed to be friendly and happy too. Pansy's hand was on Ron's shoulder and she was grinning. Ron was smiling too but it seemed slightly forced. George had his arm around Angelina. Blaise Zabini had his hand on Malfoy's shoulder but was looking across the room at what appeared to be Luna as she was looking back at him. Ginny and Hermione were turned slightly toward each other causing a gap where Hermione could swear she could see Ron missing a leg. Harry and Ginny were holding hands which wasn't surprising. What was surprising though was Draco Malfoy's arm comfortably thrown across Hermione's shoulders. He was smiling too. A real genuine smile. Hermione had never seen Draco Malfoy smile.

Hermione looked closer at herself in the picture. She had a scar on her forehead the ended at her left eyebrow. Her hair had also been chopped off and now rested just above her shoulders. She was smiling and didn't seem to mind that the arm around her belonged to Draco Malfoy. He looked different too. His hair was longer and messier and hung in his face a bit. He also had two very large scars on his left forearm.

"Harry I don't think this is a regular murder case anymore," Hermione said.

Ron snorted. "Of course it isn't. It involves us."

"Those scars on Malfoy's arm," Harry said. "That arm was wrapped in a bandage when I went to see him earlier."

"Harry we should start with talking to Malfoy again," Hermione said. Harry didn't argue with her.

"I'm going to make this case confidential. Nobody else knows about this," Harry said heading for the door. "Ron you go back to the morgue and figure out everything you can about the man. Hermione you're going to come with me to St. Mungo's to talk to Malfoy." Ron nodded and headed off to the morgue. Harry and Hermione reached the apparition point and left for St. Mungo's with a pop.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Hermione had to jog slightly to keep up with Harry as he marched through St. Mungo's. "Do we have any sort of tactic at all?" She asked.

"I'll ask him questions about the evidence we found and you watch him. See if you notice anything strange. Also try and find some parallels between his features now and his features in the picture to help us determine if the picture is a fake or not," Harry said.

Hermione nodded. She could do that. She was one of the best investigators in the ministry, simply because she noticed details.

They stopped in front of a white door with the number 1230 on it it in gold lettering. Harry reached out on knocked three times on the door.

"Come in," a gruff voice called from inside. Harry pushed the door open and stepped inside. Hermione followed him.

"Sorry to bother you again Malfoy," Harry said closing the door behind Hermione. She looked over at the man in the bed. He looked quite terrible. He had bruises under his eyes that were beginning to yellow on the edges and his nose seemed bruised and swollen as well. He was shirtless. The only reason Hermione noticed this was because his left shoulder was bare. The rest of his torso and his right shoulder were wrapped in white bandages mimicking a shirt. Also, as Harry had said, his left forearm was wrapped in bandages.

"Is this about my case?" Malfoy asked. His question was directed at Harry but he was watching Hermione as she walked towards the bed.

"Not quite," Harry said sitting down in the chair next to Malfoy's bed. "I have some questions for you though."

"What is she doing here?" Malfoy asked nodding towards Hermione. Hermione felt the urge to angrily retort on instinct due to the years of hatred he had for her at Hogwarts. However his voice was not malicious as she had expected it to be, it was simply curiosity. The Draco Malfoy in the picture from the future flashed through her head.

"She's helping me with this case," Harry said answering Malfoy's question. "Now, do you know anything about time turners?"

"I don't know much about the mechanics of them, but I know they allow you to travel through time," Malfoy answered.

"Do you posses a time turner?"

Malfoy seemed a little surprised by the question but answered. "No I don't." Hermione could see he was telling the truth. "What is this all about?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you," Harry said.

Hermione stepped up to Malfoy's bed. "May I?" she asked gesturing to the bandage on his left arm.

He seemed incredibly reluctant to let her touch him, a fact that angered her as she assumed it had to do with her blood status, but he nodded. She began to unwrap the bandage causing him to wince quietly. When she finished unwrapping the bandage, two giant gashes appeared. They were deep and jagged. Even with magic there would be scars. Scars that would look exactly like the ones in the picture. Hermione noticed something that she had not seen in the picture. Beneath the gashes was Malfoy's Dark Mark, though it was barely recognizable now, but that was probably the intention. The gashes formed and X over the Dark Mark as if an attempt to remove it.

"Harry come look at this," Hermione said. Harry stood up and walked around the bed to stand next to Hermione.

Harry looked at Malfoy's arm then looked at Hermione. "I think that's all we need Malfoy," Harry said. Hermione started to rewrap Malfoy's arm as Harry prepared to leave. When she finished she looked Malfoy directly in the eyes for the first time since they had been there.

His silver eyes were piercing, but tired. Hermione felt bad for him. No matter how much of a git he was during school, he didn't deserve this. Without thinking she said, "I'm sorry."

He seemed surprised by this but responded with an equally surprising answer. "Me too."

Hermione wasn't sure what he was sorry about. She did not respond, she just turned and followed Harry out the door and down the hall. "Now what?" she asked him as they made their way to the apparition point in the hospital.

"Now we have to watch the memories," Harry said.

Hermione had no idea what they were going to see in those memories, but she had a feeling it wouldn't be good. They reached the apparition point in silence. Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and turned in place apparating back to the ministry.

Hermione hated apparating. No matter how many times she did it she always felt dizzy and nauseous after. When they landed in the Auror department Harry was already marching off towards the interrogation room they had last been in. Hermione took a moment to gain her bearings and then chased after him.

Ron was already waiting in the interrogation room for them. "Harry, the man's name is Theodore Jameson. He's currently _living_ in London with his wife and three kids," Ron said.

Harry groaned and sat down at the table. "So we have the dead body of a living man?"

Ron nodded taking the seat opposite of Harry. Hermione leaned back against the edge of the table and closed her eyes. She had a headache. All she wanted to do was go home and take a bath.

"I think Malfoy was attacked by Death Eaters," Hermione said. She heard both boys groan. This case was getting very complicated.

"Why would his _own people_ attack him?" Ron grumbled. After the war Harry and Hermione had both testified for Draco and Narcissa, forgiving them for what they'd done, however Ron still held great disdain for the Malfoy family.

"Because Ron, Malfoy is not a Death Eater anymore," Hermione said. She had said this dozens of times before but Ron still chose to believe that Draco was an evil bastard. "As a matter of fact I think that's why he was attacked. Someone took a knife to his Dark Mark as if to remove him from the Death Eaters."

"I still think they should have locked him up with his father," Ron muttered slouching back in his chair. Although Harry and Hermione testified for his wife and son, no one stood up for the head of the Malfoy household.

"This isn't important right now," Harry said. "We have to figure out what to do next?"

"We need to watch those memories Harry," Hermione said stepping away from the table. She looked at both of the boys. They both looked utterly exhausted, and she imagined she looked quite terrible herself. "But I think we also need to sleep."

"So we'll watch the memories first thing tomorrow morning," Harry said standing from his seat and stretching. Hermione and Ron didn't protest they both were about to pass out.

They headed out the door and agreed to meet back there the next morning at 9am.

* * *

Hermione opened the door to her small flat in muggle London. With her reward money from after the war and her regular income she could afford a much larger place if she wanted, but she liked her small flat.

She threw her keys into the dish near her door and kicked off her shoes. Hermione wasn't typically a messy person but she was too tired to care where she left her things at that moment.

She went into her room and flopped onto her bed intending to get up a few minutes later to undress, however she passed out seconds later still in her clothes from that day.


	4. Chapter 4

Hello there. This chapter is quite long, as are the next few. Thank you for reading and please review.

* * *

Chapter 4:

Hermione peeled her eyes open to find the sun shining directly in her face through her bedroom window. She squinted and rolled over. She had an ache in her neck and was still wearing her work clothes from the day before.

She looked at the electronic clock on her bedside table. Hermione enjoyed a lot of her muggle things such as her clock and her tv. The clock read 8:30 am. "Shit," she muttered, pushing herself off her bed. She was was supposed to meet Harry and Ron at 9 o'clock.

She stumbled to the bathroom hoping she didn't look like a total trainwreck. Her hopes however, were shattered when she looked in the mirror. Her hair was a rats nest and the little makeup she had been wearing the day before was, now smudged all over her face.

She didn't have enough time to shower, so she sent a quick cleaning spell over herself hoping it would do the trick. Her hair was still a disaster, so she threw it up in a quick bun hoping it would contain enough of her frizz. She then quickly brushed her teeth and wandered back into her bedroom, wanting nothing more than to crawl back into bed.

She turned to her closet instead. She decided to wear some simple muggle clothes for the day. She pulled out a nice pair of black jeans, a white flowing button down shirt with black polka dots, and a black pair of ballet flats. Her clock now read 8:50.

Hermione grabbed her bag and her wand heading for the fireplace in the livingroom. She grabbed a handful of floo powder on the mantel and threw it into the flames and stepped in. "Ministry of Magic," she clearly stated standing in the middle of the now green flames.

She felt herself hurdle through the floo network and land in the Ministry. She stepped out of the fireplace and quickly dusted any ash off herself as she marched towards the lifts.

She squeezed into the already packed lift and headed for level 2.

"Level 2, Department of Magical Law Enforcement," a sweet voice echoed through the lift. Hermione stepped off and made her way towards where she had left the boys the night before.

She looked at her watch as she neared the interrogation room. The clock read exactly 9 o'clock. _Just on time._ She thought to herself as she turned into the interrogation room. Ron was sitting at the table playing with his wand. An evidence bag with the vial of memories in them sat on the table.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked setting her bag down next to the table and sitting opposite him.

"He went to get the Pensieve from McGonagall. He flooed her last night and asked it he could borrow it," Ron explained. As he finished his explanation Harry came in through the door.

He was gently carrying a large wooden box. He placed the box on the table and opened it, removing the pensieve.

"Ron can I have the memories?" Harry asked placing the pensieve on the table next to the box.

Ron grabbed the bag with the vial in it and opened it. He handed the vial to Harry.

"What do you think we're going to see in there mate?" Ron asked watching Harry pour the memories into the pensieve.

Harry, in response to Ron's question, took a deep breath and shook his head. "I don't know." He looked between his two best friends then back at the pensieve. "Ready?"

Neither Ron or Hermione responded. "Okay. Here we go," Harry muttered then he dipped his head into the pensieve and fell into the memory. Hermione quickly followed him. The liquid felt cool against her, but at the same time didn't feel like liquid at all.

She felt her feet on solid ground and looked around at her surroundings. Harry stood to her right and Ron landed on the opposite side of Harry. Directly in front of her was her own office. She watched the Future Hermione go through papers on her desk.

Hermione looked over at the calendar she always kept on her wall. "It's November 21st," Hermione stated. Harry looked over at her confused.

"How do you know?" She pointed at the calendar in response. This was occurring a little over a month from present time. Ron reached forward and tried to touch the desk, but his hand passed through it.

The door to Hermione's office opened. It was a secretary named Jan. "Miss Granger. A girl has been attacked. Grillo wants you to investigate with an officer at the hospital," Jan said. Grillo was Hermione's boss.

Future Hermione nodded. "Thank you Jan. Who's the girl?"

"Pansy Parkinson."

That caught all of their attention. Future Hermione raised an eyebrow but nodded. "I'll head over there now. Thank you."

Jan turned and left and Future Hermione stood up and grabbed her wand marching out of the office.

"Follow her," Harry said running after the memory version of Hermione. Ron and Hermione followed him.

The three visitors had to jog to keep up with Memory Hermione's fast pace. She kept walking until she made it to her destination which was Ron.

"Hey Ron, I need your help with something," Memory Hermione said to Memory Ron.

"Of course 'mione what is it?" Memory Ron replied.

"Pansy Parkinson has been attacked. I need to go investigate things with an officer at the hospital," Memory Hermione said already heading in the direction of the apparition point. Memory Ron followed without hesitation.

The memory blurred. "What's happening," Ron asked.

"I think it's skipping," Hermione said. Future Hermione seemed to feel whatever happened in the next few minutes was unnecessary as the memory returned moments later with Ron and Hermione entering the waiting room of St. Mungo's.

"Granger!"

The three visitors looked towards the voice. It was Draco Malfoy.

Memory Draco rushed over to Memory Ron and Hermione. "Malfoy, what's wrong?" Memory Hermione asked looking around him.

Blaise Zabini sat in a chair with his head in his hands. Memory Hermione looked at Ron and nodded towards Blaise. Ron nodded back and walked over to Zabini.

"Granger, you need to get Potter," Memory Malfoy said looking truly panicked. Visiting Hermione didn't think she had ever seen him so genuinely panicked.

"The cuts on his arm are starting to scar," visiting Hermione pointed out to her two companions.

"Malfoy calm down," Memory Hermione said. "This isn't a case necessary for an Auror."

"NO," Memory Draco yelled grabbing Hermione's arms. "You need to get Potter."

Memory Hermione yelped a little. "Okay," she agreed. "I'll get Harry here, but you need to sit down."

Draco nodded and went to sit with Blaise again. Memory Hermione followed him over to where Memory Ron was standing. "Ron can you go get Harry?" she asked.

"Why?"

"Just please go get Harry." Ron nodded and then disappeared from the memory. Memory Hermione looked at the two men sitting in front of her while visiting Hermione examined them herself.

Blaise had some cuts and bruises on him but nothing too bad. The only notable thing was a large cut on his head that seemed to have stopped bleeding.

"So can you tell me what happened?" Memory Hermione asked.

"Pansy and I were in Diagon Alley," Blaise said his voice shaking a bit. "And we were down an empty street when we were attacked. They hurt Pansy pretty bad but I managed to get them away. I called Draco."

"Is there anyone you think-" she was interrupted by Malfoy.

"Potter!"

"What is it Malfoy?" Future Harry question.

"Harry I'm sorry he claimed you needed to be here," Hermione explained.

"Potter it's the same people."

"What?"

Zabini chimed in. "Draco is under the impression that whoever attacked Pansy is the same people who attacked him."

Both visiting Harry and his memory counterpart perked up at that. "And why do you think that Malfoy?"

"Because the first thing Blaise said to me was that they were Death Eaters," Memory Draco stated clearly. Everyone's attention was now on Malfoy.

"I said _I thought they were Death Eaters._ I have no proof," Blaise defended. "Besides I had just been attacked I was panicking a bit. I wasn't in my right mind."

The memory began to blur.

"It's changing," visiting Harry stated.

A new memory began to form around them. Harry and Hermione were sitting in Harry's office.

"Potter," a man said coming into the office. It was Sienna, he was the head of the Auror office and Harry's boss. "There's been a Dark Mark," he said darkly.

"What? Where?" Memory Harry questioned.

"You can't go," Sienna said.

"What? Why not? I'm the best auror you've got-"

"Potter, you can't go because it's Andromeda Tonks-" Harry shot out of his seat and visiting Harry looked like he was going to be sick. "And I know your godson is- Shit."

Harry had pushed past Sienna and bolted out the door. Memory Hermione was now chasing after him.

"Keep up with them," visiting Hermione said. Harry didn't need to be told twice. He seems just as desperate as his memory self to find out if Teddy Lupin was okay.

Memory Hermione and Harry reached the apparition point in the Auror's office and Apparated to Andromeda Tonks' house. The three visitors felt the world bend around them. Colors and shapes began to twist together.

Finally they landed in front of the house. Memory Harry and Hermione ran inside, wands out, and the three visitors chased after them.

All of the windows were broken and broken glass littered the floor. Furniture was overturned and things were smashed.

"TEDDY!" Memory Harry shouted panicked. Visiting Harry looked just as terrified.

Andromeda was nowhere to be seen. The house seemed empty but there was a small whimper from a closet in the hall.

"Harry," Memory Hermione mouthed nodding in the direction of the closet. Harry slowly walked over to it and ripped open the door. Four year old Teddy sat on the floor of the closet whimpering. His face was covered in tears and he was clutching a small bear.

"I was going to give him that bear for Christmas this year," visiting Harry muttered.

"Hey buddy," memory Harry said softly to the young boy. "it's me." He reached out to Teddy and the little boy stood up and embraced Harry still clutching his bear.

Harry lifted the boy and carried him out of the house and the memory began to change again.

"I think that was this upcoming January," Ron said as the memory changed. Hermione nodded. It was probably sometime just after Christmas since Teddy had his Christmas gift from Harry.

When the memory returned they were standing in Hermione's office. Memory Hermione sat at her desk going through paperwork. Memory Ron and Harry sat in front of Hermione's desk going through paperwork of their own. The boys often did this considering that Hermione's office was quieter than Harry's and much quieter than Ron's cubical.

"Hey guys listen to this," Memory Hermione said looking at a file. Visiting Hermione recognized it as a small crime file she'd often get to go over. Memory Ron and Harry both turned their attention to her. "Narcissa Malfoy's personal Gringotts vault was broken into on the 30th of January. Only one possession was stolen, a necklace she says belonged to her late sister Bellatrix. Mrs. Malfoy has not insisted on further investigation," Hermione read the report aloud.

"I was on the initial investigation for that," Memory Ron said. "We didn't find any evidence.

"That's odd," Memory Harry said then the memory began to fade again.

When the memory returned it was just Harry and Hermione in the office. Visiting Hermione noticed the calendar now said February.

A small paper airplane flew into the office and landed infront of Memory Harry. He opened it and read it. "Shit," he said flying out of his seat.

"What is it?" Memory Hermione asked.

"Malfoy's been attacked again," Memory Harry said before rushing out of the room.

The memory ended.

"Harry," Hermione said. Harry looked over to her. "Almost everything that has happened so far involves Malfoy."

Harry and Ron both realized this. "We need to bring him in," Harry said.

"Let's stop here and get Malfoy," Hermione suggested. Both boys nodded and pulled pulled out of the pensieve.

Hermione focused on leaving the memories and felt her feet on the solid ground of the interrogation room.


	5. Chapter 5

Hello! Sorry this chapter took a while to post, I have been pretty busy lately and this was a very long chapter. Enjoy and review!

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Chapter 5:

Hermione sat at the table in the interrogation room, rubbing her temples. She hadn't slept well the night before, after seeing the memories. Her mind wouldn't settle. She couldn't stop thinking about everything that they had seen.

There was a knock at the door. Harry rose from the silent table and went to open the door. Malfoy stood in the doorway. Magic had healed him quite a bit, but he still didn't look great. He had dark circles under his eyes and his forearm was still wrapped in the white bandage. He still held himself well however.

"Hello Malfoy, thank you for coming in," Harry said, gesturing for Malfoy to enter the room. Malfoy looked around with slight disgust but kept his opinions to himself. His brows furrowed at the sight of the pensieve on the corner of the table.

"Is there a reason you called me here Potter?" Malfoy said, walking farther into the rolled her eyes.

"We have some questions to ask you," Harry said calmly.

"Okay," he said, then sat at the table. Hermione could see Ron's eyebrows raise in surprise at how easily Malfoy complied.

Hermione and Harry both took seats opposite Malfoy, while Ron stood off to the side simply observing.

Harry cleared his throat. "How well do you know Pansy Parkinson?"

Malfoy seemed slightly surprised and slightly confused with the question. "I've kept in touch with her since school. She's one of the few friends I have still." Hermione saw his fits ball up. She looked over to Ron to see if he had noticed the action too. He had.

"What about Blaise Zabini?" Harry asked.

"Blaise is my best mate. Again, one of the few people who talk to me," Malfoy answered. "Not a lot of people are fond of me as you might've noticed," he said, gesturing to the bandages on his arm.

"Have you had any contact with Andromeda Tonks since the war?"

Malfoy seemed confused by this question too. He probably thought this questioning had to do with his case, Hermione realized.

"No. I have not talked to my Aunt Andromeda. My mother reconnected with her after the war, but I never saw her," Malfoy said. He folded his hands on the table and sat straight in his seat, looking Harry in the eyes. "I don't think this has anything to do with my case, does is Granger?" Malfoy's eyes averted from Harry and he was now staring at Hermione. She was taken back at the fact that he had addressed her.

She cleared her throat and straightened her posture to match his. "We cannot divulge anything Malfoy," Hermione answered professionally.

"Well if this doesn't have to do with my case then I'm being questioned for something else, and I should have a right to know what I'm being questioned for."

Hermione looked over at Harry, not sure how to respond. Harry took a breath, then addressed Malfoy. "I have two options for you Malfoy," Harry said. Malfoy leaned slightly forward to hear what Harry had to say. Harry took another deep breath. "Option one, your life will stay as it is now. You'll go to work as normal and live as normal, but you will come when summoned and questioned at that time. You will also not be given any information, and you could look very much like a suspect of something with this option. Option two, you will join the investigation permanently and be treated as an equal. The information given to you must be kept confidential, but you will know everything we know. I will write your boss and request your services in my investigation and you will work with us rather than at your regular office. So what will it be?"

Ron, Hermione, and Malfoy all looked at Harry in slight shock that he would invite Malfoy in on such a confidential case. "Harry, what are you doing?" Hermione questioned impulsively.

"Hermione, you said it yourself that everything we've seen so far revolves around him," Harry argued.

"Wait what?" Malfoy asked dying to know what was happening.

"Make your choice Malfoy and we'll see if we can explain," Harry said.

Malfoy sat there for a moment looking between the golden trio in astonishment. He seemed to be carefully contemplating his choices.

"Okay Potter," he said, finally. "Tell me everything. Make me a part of the case."

Harry nodded, seeming to have already known he would go with that option.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione spent the next hour explaining what the had learned so far. Malfoy simply listened, astonished.

When they finally finished Malfoy asked to see the picture they had mentioned. Hermione nodded and passed it across the table. She watched him look over the photo. He ran his thumb gently over it. He then glanced up from the picture and made eye contact with Hermione. There was confusion in his eyes. He had noticed the relaxed behavior of the two of the two of them in the picture.

He gently placed the picture on the table and then folded his hands. "Now what?"

"Now we continue watching the memories," Hermione said. Harry nodded in agreement and stood from the table, removing the vial of memories from the pocket of his cloak. He moved the pensieve to the center of the table and poured the memories in. Malfoy was now standing watching Harry's actions.

"Okay," Harry said then dipped his face in the liquid and disappeared. Hermione followed after him. She landed in Harry's office with present Harry standing to her left.

Malfoy landed on her right side and Ron landed on the other side of him. Malfoy was looking around the memory entranced.

Future Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting around Harry's desk going over paperwork.

"How's the investigation with Malfoy going?" Memory Hermione asked.

Memory Harry sighed. "It's not. I went to the hotel room where he was attacked to see the message he said was there and it was gone."

"What was the message?" memory Ron asked.

"According to him _BLOOD TRAITOR_ was painted on the wall from ceiling to floor in blood," Memory Harry explained. "I don't know if I believe it though. That seems a little far stretched."

"It's not far stretched mate, it's a lie," Memory Ron said bitterly.

"Ron, just because you have a grudge against him doesn't mean we're supposed to abandon his case," Memory Hermione argued.

"It's not our case 'mione," Memory Ron shot back. "It's Harry's we shouldn't be involved at all."

Memory Hermione just rolled her eyes and turned to Harry. "Don't give up on it Harry. Did you find anything at all?"

"We found some DNA, but there wasn't enough to get a conclusive match."

"Well that's a start," she said trying to offer encouragement. "Just keep looking."

The memory began to change and visiting Draco jumped at this. "What's happening?"

"It's changing to a different memory," Hermione explained to him.

The memory reformed to show Future Malfoy, Harry, and Hermione standing in the auror's office next to a secretaries desk.

Visiting Hermione glanced over at the desk to see a calendar. "Guys it's April now," she said to the other visitors.

"Come on you have to know something by now Potter," Memory Malfoy pleaded.

"I'm really sorry Malfoy, but we don't know everything. I've said it before, if we find out anything at all, you'll be the first to know," Memory Harry said. He sounded genuinely apologetic. Visiting Hermione felt sorry too.

"I'm sorry Malfoy," Memory Hermione said touching Malfoy's shoulder before her and Harry walked off and the memory changed.

When the memory returned they were standing in the crowded living room of the Burrow. Up on the wall was a banner that said _HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY VICTORIE._

"It's also the fifth anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts," Hermione muttered, mostly to herself. She heard a weird sound come out of Malfoy next to her and looked over to see the Memory Bill Weasley walk through him.

On the couch in the living room was Memory Harry, Hermione, and George. Ron sat on the arm of the couch next to Harry. They were watching Victorie and Teddy play with a new toy Victorie had gotten for her birthday.  
"Harry!" someone shouted from the kitchen. Both visiting Harry and his memory counterpart became alert at the panicked shout.

Memory Harry quickly ran to the kitchen. The four visitors followed him. In the middle on the kitchen stood a Lynx Patronus.

"That's Kingsley's Patronus," Visiting Harry said.

A voice came out of the patronus. "Azkaban has been attacked. We need you."

Memory Harry instantly went to grab his cloak. "Ron, come with me," he said. He kissed Ginny quick and headed out the door to apparate outside the Burrow's boundaries. Memory Ron followed after him.

Memory Hermione went over to Ginny. "I'm going to go back to the Ministry and see if there's anything I can do."

Ginny nodded at her and Hermione headed to the door.

The Memory began to blur and skip. It made Hermione feel dizzy. "It's skipping again."

The picture returned and Hermione was in her office talking to someone on the floo. "Who is she talking to?" Ron asked. No one answered.

Memory Harry burst in through the office door. "I'll call you later," Hermione said, ending the floo call.

"Lucius Malfoy escaped," Memory Harry said, he was breathing heavily as if he had run there.

Visiting Hermione could feel Draco Malfoy stiffen next to her.

"I'm assuming more than just him escaped," Memory Hermione said, seeming slightly confused by Harry's sudden outburst. Visiting Hermione was confused too. Why was Lucius Malfoy Harry's main focus?

"No Hermione, that's the thing," Memory Harry rushedly explained. "He escaped before the attack. Someone broke him out."

This time Hermione's muscles clenched. She looked over at Malfoy next to her. His jaw was clenched and she couldn't tell if he was angry or scared.

Memory Hermione sits at the chair at her desk. "Shit," she mutters. "Harry, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" Memory Harry asked, sitting opposite her.

"We found some DNA at Andromeda's," she said. " I didn't tell you about it because I thought you were too close to the case, but I just got the results back of the DNA test."

"That's probably who she was on the floo with," visiting Hermione said.

Memory Harry nodded, as if to say go on.

"The DNA matched the DNA that you found at Draco's," Hermione said.

Memory Harry huffed. "That doesn't help much. They couldn't find a match for that."

"But there was enough DNA from this sample to match it," Hermione said slowly and calmly. Visiting Hermione had a feeling that whatever her future self was about say, it wouldn't be good. "Harry, the DNA belongs to Rodolphus Lestrange."

"Shit," both Harry's muttered at the same time. Hermione could almost laugh at that.

"Harry, we're dealing with a very powerful Death Eater, and if I had to guess, he was the one who broke Lucius out."

Malfoy turned away from the memory in front of them.

"I think we need to go get Draco," Hermione continued to say. "I think he could be in danger."

Memory Harry nodded in agreement. "Let's go."

"Malfoy, are you okay?" visiting Hermione asked the man next to her. He simply turned back towards the memory, not saying anything, but keeping his fists tightly clenched.

The memory began to skip again and reappeared with Hermione and Harry standing in the entrance hall of the Malfoy Manor. A little house elf stood in front of them.

"Master Draco will be with you soon," the elf said, then disapparated with a pop.

"Potter?" Memory Malfoy said walking towards Harry and Hermione. "Is it true that Azkaban was attacked?"

"Yes Malfoy," Harry said, skipping to what they were there to talk about. "We have reason to believe that you are in danger."

Memory Malfoy looked between the two people standing in front of him. "What? Why?"

"Your father," Memory Hermione said slowly. "He escaped before the attack on Azkaban occurred."

"Which means he either knew about it or someone broke him out that knew about it," Harry said,

"And we think that someone is Rodolphus Lestrange," Hermione finished. Memory Malfoy wore a similar expression as the man standing next to visiting Hermione.

"Why would you think Rodolphus Lestrange broke my father out of prison," Memory Malfoy said, his voice sounding rough.

"We found his DNA at the scene where you were attacked. We just matched it to him today," Harry explained

"We believe you need to be put under protection," Hermione said. "So from now on we think it's best that if you leave the Manor you only do so with either Harry, one of The Weasley's or myself escorting you."

Memory Draco just nodded. Visiting Hermione was slightly shocked by this. Did he really fear his family so much that he would agree to those terms?

"What about my mother?" Memory Malfoy asked.

"I'll have two aurors just outside the wards of the Manor to keep an eye on both your mother and you," Harry said. "It's probably best if she doesn't leave the house either."

Memory Malfoy sighed slightly at his new house arrest but nodded anyway. "Thank you."

The memory began to change again. When it returned Memory Hermione was walking through the Malfoy Manor with a large brown paper bag. The visitors followed her as she marched through the house.

"Malfoy?" she yelled. There was a pop and the house elf from before appeared in front of her. Memory Hermione yelped with surprise. "Oh, hello Poppy."

"Hello Miss," the elf said.

"Could you tell me where Malfoy is?" memory Hermione, politely requested of the elf.

"Yes miss, Poppy will take you to Master Draco miss," the elf said turning and heading down the hall. Memory Hermione and the four invisible watchers followed after her.

They ended in the sitting room where Memory Malfoy sat reading a book.

"Master Draco," Poppy said. "Miss Hermione is here to see you."

Draco looked up from his book and nodded. "Thank you Poppy," he said, putting his book down next to him. Poppy left with a pop.

"Hello Malfoy," Hermione said, placing the brown bag on the small table in front of him. "I brought you some things from diagon alley. Just some groceries and stuff."

Draco stood from his seat and looked into the bag. "Thank you very much Granger," He said. "I haven't left the house in over a week and it's getting quite boring."

Memory Hermione smirked a little. "Glad I could help entertain you," she said, still smiling slightly. "I should be going. I have to get back to the Ministry." She turned to leave.

"Wait Grang-err...Hermione," Memory Malfoy said, stopping her.

Memory Hermione and the four visitors all straightened a bit at Malfoy's use of her first name.

"Yes?" she said, turning back around.

"I just...er...I wanted to um…apologize," he stuttered out.

Memory Hermione raised her eyebrows in slight surprise, but didn't brush him off. "For what?" she questioned.

"Everything."

That was a bit of a surprise, visiting Hermione thought to herself. Looking at her fellow visitors they were just as shocked as she was.

"For the way I treated you in school," Malfoy continued. Visiting Malfoy swallowed hard. "For every terrible name I ever called you. Just...for everything."

"I forgave you for the name calling a long time ago," Memory Hermione said.

"You did?"

"Yes, I did. I don't believe that you're a bad person," she explained "Just that the people around you were bad people."

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"I'm also sorry for that," he said pointing to her left forearm where Bellatrix's carving of the word _Mudblood_ was.

"You didn't do that," Memory Hermione said. She sounded as if she were choking on something.

Memory Draco looked down at his feet. "But I could have stopped it and I didn't. I could have stopped a lot of things and I didn't." Visiting Draco and Hermione were frozen in their places, watching the scene.

"Mal-Draco, I don't think you need me to forgive you for those things," Memory Hermione said. "I think you need to forgive yourself." She didn't say it angrily or with any malice in her voice, she just simply stated it. With that she turned to leave but stopped for a moment at the door. "I do forgive you though." And then the memory disappeared.

Visiting Hermione and Draco looked at each other. He held her gaze for a very long time and she felt her heart in her throat, but neither of them said anything as the memories reappeared.

In this memory, Hermione and Malfoy sat at a table in a small cafe in Diagon Alley. Hermione wore a white sundress that rested above her knees and she was fanning herself with a small paper fan.

"It must be late summer for it to be this hot," visiting Harry pointed out, which meant that a few months had passed since the last memory.

Memory Malfoy was wearing a white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the top button undone. He looked quite relaxed and Hermione wasn't sure she had ever seen him that casual.

"Thank you for coming with me Granger," Memory Malfoy said looking around the street lazily. They seemed to have reverted back to using surnames. "The Manor was getting quite stuffy and I'd really rather not go out on a shopping trip with Potter or Weasley."

Memory Hermione laughed at this, and visiting Hermione was surprised at herself. She was having a good time with Draco Malfoy. He smiled back at her, an actual smile. Hermione looked at her fellow viewers to see Harry's brow furrowed, Ron gaping at the scene, and Malfoy watching intently.

"Shall we go?" Memory Hermione suggested. "I think if we sit here any longer I'll melt."

Memory Malfoy smirked. "Yes, I should probably be getting back to the Manor anyway."

They stood from their seats and began to stroll down Diagon Alley, simply talking. Visiting Hermione stared at the image with utter shock. They were just talking. It wasn't work related, it didn't have to do with the investigation, they were just talking.

However, the calm and casual scene quickly changed when both Memory Hermione and Malfoy were grabbed and dragged into another alley. They heard a muffled scream and the four visitors chased after the captors.

There were four hooded men attacking Hermione and Draco. Visiting Hermione winced as she watched herself get punched in the face. Memory Hermione went to grab her wand but one of the men kicked it away from her. Two of the men grabbed Draco and pinned him punching him in the ribs and face, while the other two men kicked and hit Hermione.

"They're going to kill her," Ron muttered.

One of the men stepped on Hermione's wrist and she screamed. All four of the visitors winced at the sound of her scream.

"Hermione!" Memory Draco shouted trying to kick away the attackers. He managed to wriggle one of his arms free and punch the two men holding him, momentarily stunning them. He leapt forward and pushed one of the men attacking Hermione into the other, making them stumble. He then dove for Hermione's wand, grabbed her by the leg and apparated away.

The world bent around the visitors as they apparated with him. The world stopped spinning and they stood about fifty yards away from the Burrow.

Memory Draco had blood pouring from his nose, and Hermione was barely conscious. "Shit Hermione," Draco muttered, picking her up. "Stay awake."

Memory Hermione groaned as he lifted her from the ground. Her white dress, was now stained red. She had a large cut on her forehead and her wrist bent at an awkward angle.

"That cut," visiting Hermione said, choking on her words. She cleared her throat. "That's the scar she has in the picture." She wasn't sure anyone was listening to her.

Memory Malfoy kicked open the kitchen door and walked in. "Help! I need help!" he shouted laying Hermione down on the kitchen table. Molly and Ginny ran into the kitchen.

"Oh Merlin," Molly whispered, horrified. Molly began to shout orders at Ginny and Draco and they began to work on Hermione, but the memory blurred and the only sound was a ringing noise.

"What's happening?" visiting Harry asked slightly panicked.

"I'm...she's passing out," Hermione stated.

The memory blurred until it disappeared all together.

"Holy shit," Hermione heard Draco whisper next to her.


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry it took so long to get the chapter up. It is very long and was quite difficult to write. Hope you enjoy. Please review.

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Chapter 6:

Hermione was stunned, staring at the darkness in front of her. What had just happened? She heard Ron's voice and snapped out of her dazed confusion. "Is she dead?" Ron questioned, looking absolutely panicked.

Hermione made a few unintelligible sounds in response. She wasn't really sure? Had she just watched herself die? No that didn't make sense, if she were dead-

"If she had died we would never have gotten the memories," Draco said, exactly what Hermione had been thinking.

Hermione cleared her throat. "Exactly, also the memories would have ended. We would be back in the interrogation room. I think this darkness is a memory." As she said it, blurry color began to appear in front of them.

Hermione sighed in slight relief. She definitely wasn't dead.

Memory Hermione opened her eyes and looked around. The memory in front of them showed Ginny's old room at the Burrow. Hermione was lying in the bed wrapped in numerous bandages. Memory Draco sat at her bedside with his head rested on the bed. Visiting Hermione could see he was wearing the same blood stained shirt he had been wearing before. That was her blood, Hermione thought. That sent a shiver up her spine.

Memory Draco's head shot off the bed when Memory Hermione shifted her body around. She tried to open her mouth to speak but she began coughing. "Water," she choked out.

Memory Draco stood from the chair he had been sitting in and quickly made his way across the room, where there was a pitcher of water. He poured her a glass and walked it back to the bed in three quick strides.

She graciously accepted the water and quickly downed it as he returned to his seat. "How are you feeling?" he asked, seeming mildly uncomfortable now that she was awake.

Visiting Hermione stared at him in awe. He was being so kind to her memory self. She had never thought she'd see a friendship between Malfoy and herself. She looked at the man next to her. Could they really be friends?

"My head hurts a bit," Memory Hermione said, after taking a sip of the water he had gotten her. He took the cup from her hands and put it on the table next to the bed.

"Well you have a bit of a concussion," Memory Malfoy said. "I have to go talk to Potter about what happened," he said standing from his seat.

Memory Hermione nodded as he began to leave. "Wait, Draco," she said stopping him. He turned to look at her. "Thank you."

He nodded at her and then smiled, although it was less of a smile, and more of a simple acknowledgement of her thanks.

The memory began to change again.

When the memory returned visiting Hermione recognized many of her friends standing in the kitchen of Grimmauld place. They were all chatting, Hermione would have thought it were a party had they not all looked as if they had a purpose. Harry stood at the head of the table, Ginny sat to his right and Ron sat next to her.

Memory Hermione sat across from Ginny with her arm in a sling and a fading bruise beneath her eye. Visiting Hermione also noticed the scar she had seen in the picture was just now beginning to heal.

Malfoy sat on the right side of Memory Hermione, across from Ron, with his elbow resting on the armrest, and his chin resting in his hand. He had a fading bruise on his jaw, from their attack.

"I think this is a couple of weeks later," visiting Hermione said.

"If it were a couple of weeks, wouldn't she be healed?" Ron questioned.

"No," Draco said, and Hermione finished his thought.

"Me- her, and Draco, haven't left the house since the attack," Hermione said. "I think they're beinging kept under the protection of Grimmauld Place, so they can't go to St. Mungo's for proper treatment. All they have is their own healing abilities and whatever they have in the house."

Malfoy nodded in agreement with her. "You probably believed it would be safer for both of them if they stayed under house arrest," Malfoy said to Harry.

Harry nodded. "So if I'm trying to protect them, then this must be-"

"The Order," Hermione and Ron both interrupted.

Hermione continued, "You restarted the Order of The Phoenix." That was something she was hoping she wouldn't have seen. They had all hoped the Order was done for good, that they wouldn't need it again.

Memory Harry began to speak. "Quiet down everyone. I've called this meeting to discuss what could possibly be going on."

Everyone quieted down and turned their full attention to Harry. "Oh shove off, Potter," Memory Malfoy said, standing up. He looked oddly casual, wearing a muggle tee-shirt and jeans. "We all know exactly what's happening. Say it. Come on. _Death Eaters._ "

Hermione could feel the three boys tense up next to her. SHe felt her own chest tighten as well. She had been hoping, praying, that they were done with the Death Eaters.

"Of course you would know," Memory Ron angrily muttered. Memory Draco shot out of his seat. Present Hermione could feel the tensions rising in the memory. The surrounding air felt thick and hard to breathe in.

"What's happening?" Harry said, in reference to the thick air.

"I think-I think she's panicking. She doesn't want them to fight," Hermione guessed, but the worried expression on Memory Hermione's face confirmed that.

At this point Memory Draco was yelling at Ron. "What the fuck do you mean by that, Weasley," he shouted. Visiting Hermione flinched along with her memory counterpart, at Malfoy's furious tone.

"I mean," Ron was standing now too. "Your one of them you fucking snake!"

Memory Draco scoffed. "Like I haven't given you enough fucking proof that I'm not with them. I've been attacked numerous fucking times-"

"Draco," Memory Hermione said quietly, seemingly attempting to calm him down.

He ignored her. "Trust me, if I would much prefer to not spend every fucking day fearing for my life."

In the past Draco Malfoy had threatened her and verbally attacked her, but Hermione had never been as afraid of him as she was right then, watching the memory. His usually pale face was red with fury. The veins and tendons in his neck were popping out, and his muscles were so tense she could see them through his shirt.

Ron looked frightening as well. His face was flushed too, his nostrils were flared and his chest rose with every breath he took.

"And not to fucking mention, that I saved her life." And that seemed to be when Ron broke. He reached across the table and took a swing at Memory Draco. Draco leaped back at him, shouting profanity. Memory Hermione now stood, pulling on Draco's bicep, trying to get him to back off. He had blood pouring out of his nose, but seemed to be ignoring it.

Memory Ginny was now standing and trying to pull Iron away. Harry moved to help her.

"Both of you knock it off!" Harry shouted. Memory Hermione seemed to have convinced Draco to back off at this point.

He was staring down at her and she had a hand on his chest pushing him further away from Ron. "Sit down," she said quietly, but very stern. He did as she said.

Memory Harry shoved Ron back into his seat and took a deep breath. "You two need to not kill each other for this to work."

Both men still glared at each other, but didn't say anything else.

Harry huffed. "Hermione, go over what we know."

Hermione returned to her seat, still looking between Memory Draco and Ron. "Well," she started. "We know that it's death eaters." She looked at Memory Draco and continued talking. "We know that they're targeting Malfoy. We know that they targeted both Malfoy and myself. We know that Lucius Malfoy was broken out of Azkaban before the attack, and we know that this all has something to do with Rodolphus Lestrange."

With that the memory began to fade away.

Visiting Hermione heard Harry angrily sigh next to her and then mumble, "We already knew all that."

When the memory reappeared they were standing in a dark room. Memory Hermione jolted into an upright position in the bed she had been sleeping in. In the distance there was crashing and screaming.

She leapt out of bed, grabbed her wand and ran down the stairs. The three visitors chased her all the way to the kitchen. As they got closer the yelling got louder and visiting Hermione could pick it out as a male's voice.

It wasn't until they stood right outside the kitchen that Visiting Hermione and her Memory self realized it was Draco's voice.

They entered the kitchen as a plate hit the wall right next to Memory Hermione's head. Draco had thrown it.

Visiting Hermione examined the distraught man. His face was red and blotchy, and she was sure she saw tears, but he looked furious. The thought of what could have made him this upset made her throat tighten.

Harry and Ron stood near the fireplace. Harry wore his protective cloak, which all Aurors were made to wear, and Ron wore his MLE officer robes. They had obviously just returned from a job. Both men looked remorseful. Harry looked slightly pained and Ron seemed to be upset as well.

Memory Hermione made her way further into the room but the three visitors remained at the door.

Visiting Hermione finally caught some of what Memory Draco was screaming about. "You said she'd be safe!" He screamed, throwing another bowl. "You said there was no way they'd go after her! That nothing would happen!" Two more dishes.

"Malfoy, I'm sor-"

"No fuck you Potter! You said she'd be fine!" This time he threw a wine glass. A shard of the glass cut Memory Hermione's leg but she ignored it and kept watching the ruined man in front of her.

"I know, Malfoy, I didn't mean-"

"No fuck you! You told me not to worry and now she's dead!" Another plate was shattered.

Now it was Harry's turn to throw something.

"I'M SORRY OKAY. I'm fucking sorry."

Malfoy screamed again. Memory Hermione seemed to realize it a few seconds earlier than her visiting self did, but as Memory Hermione was moving toward Draco she got it.

Narcissa Malfoy was dead.

Visiting Draco seemed to realize this too because he turned his head away from the scene in front of him. Hermione felt the urge to reach out and touch him, she felt that she should comfort him, but she didn't, she just kept watching his future self crumple in front of them.

Memory Hermione kept walking forward until she stood in front of the distressed, screaming man. She grabbed tightly onto his arms as he threw another plate, but he continued to flail and scream, accidentally hitting her in the face. She simply ignored it and continued to hold onto him, but visiting Draco noticed, and winced.

Memory Hermione began to yell at Draco. "Malfoy stop!"

He screamed something unintelligible at her. He was having a psychotic break.

"Malfoy! Draco stop! STOP!" She now had her hands firmly on either side of his face.

He looked directly at her and his rage reduced to tears, and he began to collapse. She fell with him and continued to hold him while he silently cried for his dead mother.

As the memory began to fade, visiting Hermione felt a tear slip down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and took a deep breath.

When the memory returned, it seemed like there was a party going on. The visitors now stood in the sitting room of Grimmauld Place, along with many members of the Order.

They were all laughing and having fun. Visiting Hermione noticed that Memory Draco was sitting on the couch drinking firewhiskey. He wore a white button up and dark wash jeans. He looked relatively comfortable. There was no sign of the distraught man of the last memory. She also noticed herself in the corner of the room smiling and talking to Hannah Abbot and Neville.

Visiting Hermione walked over to the little crowd. She smiled. "Neville and Hannah are engaged."

Visiting Ron and Harry seemed happy for their friend.

"Good for Longbottom," Visiting Malfoy said. He didn't seem particularly happy or upset, he simply stated it.

Memory Hermione walked away from the little crowd and over to the couch where Draco sat. "It's almost midnight," she said.

"That it is," he stated, taking another sip of his drink.

She sat next to him with a sigh. "Come on, Draco, enjoy yourself."

"I am enjoying myself, Hermione," he said looking at her.

Visiting Hermione was genuinely surprised at his use of her first name. Yes she had heard him use it before in earlier memories, but this was different. It wasn't intentional or forced, it wasn't in a panic, with her on the brink of death, it was just what he called her. Now to him, it was just her name.

"Well then-" Memory Hermione was interrupted by shouting. Both her and Draco shot off the couch, wands already out and headed in the direction of the yelling. They pushed their way through the crowd and out into the hallway. There they bumped into Harry.

"Harry, what was that," Memory Hermione asked.

"I don't know-" as he said it Ron could be heard from the kitchen yelling his name.

Memory Harry, Hermione, and Draco rushed off to the kitchen, their visiting counterparts and most of the Order, following them.

They burst into the kitchen. A circle of people had formed around a lynx patronus, that was continuously repeating a message.

"Harry it's Kingsley," Ron said.

"What'd he say?"

The patronus answered the question before Ron could. " _They are attacking Muggle London."_

"They?" Visiting Ron asked. "Who's they?"

"Death Eaters," visiting Malfoy answered.

"Shit," Memory Harry said, heading out into the hall and over to the coat closet.

"Harry," Memory Hermione said, chasing after him. "Let me go with you."

"No Hermione," He said sternly, taking his protective coat out of the closet and grabbing Ron's as well.

"Come on Harry-"

"Hermione. No."

"But Harry-"

"He said no, Hermione," Memory Draco said, stepping in front of her, keeping her from following Harry closer to the floo.

"You want to go as much as I do," Hermione hissed at Draco.

"We're not leaving, Hermione."

"Don't you want to help?" Her voice was raising. She was clearly trying to get a rise out of him, Visiting Hermione noticed. They seemed to have become quite friendly in their time at Grimmauld Place.

Draco kept his voice level. "I'd rather us not both die."

Memory Hermione attempted to push past Draco and go over to Harry.

Visiting Draco snorted. "She's intentionally trying to piss him off."

VIsiting Hermione looked at him. "What do you mean?"

Visiting Draco smirked. "You wouldn't know it, but the things she's doing and the way she's acting are things that will piss me-him off. She's doing it on purpose. She knows I-he doesn't like it."

Hermione looked at the memory. He was right. She would never act like that without some reason.

"Would you believe it Granger?" Visiting Draco asked.

Hermione looked at him. "Believe what?"

He smirked. "It looks like we're friends."

Memory Harry pulled back their attention. He was speaking to the whole Order now. "I just received word that Muggle London is under attack. I am going to help as much as I can. No one is expected to follow."

People seemed to ignore that last part and began to gather their wands and cloaks to head off to fight. A child's laugh could be heard somewhere in the room. Memory Harry's eyes filled with sorrow. It was Teddy's laugh.

Harry went over to Molly. "Will you keep an eye on Teddy?"

"Of course dear."

Everyone began to line up at the floo. "We're going to floo to the Leaky Cauldron and apparate from there," Harry explained.

One by one they began to leave: George, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Arthur, Blaise Zabini, Dean, Seamus, Pansy Parkinson, Luna, Lee Jordan, Angelina, Katie Bell, Neville, Ginny, Ron, and finally Harry. And then the house was quiet.

"I didn't even notice that half those people were in the Order until now," visiting Hermione said.

"Yeah, Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson?" Ron questioned.

"They're good friends of mine," Draco defended.

"They probably joined after Pansy was attacked," Harry reasoned.

The memory blurred and began to skip forward. Memory Hermione and Draco now sat on the couch in the sitting room alone. They each sat with their backs to the armrests, facing each other. Hermione sat cross legged and Draco lay, stretched out so his feet sat next to Hermione's knee.

"I just don't get it," Hermione said.

"Get what? Why we have to stay behind?" Draco said, resting his arm on the back of the couch.

"No, why this is all happening. It's so random," she said, sitting forward a little more.

Draco seemed confused. "Random how?"

"The attacks, they're violent and sporadic. I've met your father, he doesn't seem very sporadic. It's all unplanned and messy," she explained.

"So then it's not my father planning everything," Draco said, sitting up more.

"But then who? Rodolphus?"

"I doubt it. Rodolphus is a follower. He's not good at taking charge. That's why him and Bellatrix worked so well. She was in charge," Draco said. "In all honesty, this is how Bellatrix probably would have acted if she had any power."

"Bellatrix," Hermione said.

"It can't be her though she's dead."

"So was Voldemort," Hermione said smirking.

"Shit," Visiting Hermione mumbled.

"What?" Visiting Draco asked. Hermione just pointed at the memory as if to tell him to keep watching. He got the idea and returned his attention to the scene in front of them.

"What do you mean?" Memory Draco asked.

"Voldemort was able to return because he had a Horcrux."

"Fuck," Visiting Harry said. He had figure out what Hermione was getting on about.

"What's a horcrux?" Memory Draco asked, seeming intrigued. Visiting Draco seemed just as intrigued.

"A horcrux is a powerful object that hides a fragment of a wizard's soul. It's very powerful dark magic. To create one you need to rip apart your own soul," Hermione explained.

Both Draco's seemed horrified. "And The Dark Lo- Voldemort, he had one?"

"No. He had seven."

"Bloody fuck," visiting Draco murmured. Memory Draco just stared at Memory Hermione, stunned.

"When he died, he was less than human," Hermione said. There was a moment of silence between to the two of them and then she continued talking. "I don't know if Bellatrix would make one though."

"Well she's always been a little less than human," Draco said.

Memory Hermione chuckled at that.

"So it can just be any old object? Like a pillow? Or a cup?"

"In theory," Hermione explained. "But Voldemort's horcruxes were things that meant something to him. Like his snake, or his father's ring."

"So a horcrux is more likely to be something meaningful?"

Hermione nodded. Draco seemed to be thinking about something and Memory Hermione took notice. "What is it?"

"Well," he paused. "My mother's vault was broken into-"

"Yes, I know."

"And well, the only thing stolen was-"

"Bellatrix's necklace," Memory and visiting Hermione said at the same time.

Memory Draco and Hermione looked intensely at each other. "And she loved that necklace."

"Draco, you're a genius." Suddenly, Memory Hermione sprang forward, grabbing onto Memory Draco's face, and kissed him.

Visiting Hermione let out an audible gasp and Draco let out a small cough next to her. She couldn't help it, she looked over at the man next to, he looked just as stunned as she felt. Past him Ron's jaw was practically hanging on the floor. She looked back at the memory.

Memory Draco seemed momentarily paralysed, but after a second, he grabbed her waist and kissed her back.

He pulled her onto his lap and she wrapped her arms around his neck, and then there was a loud bang, and they pulled apart at the sound of screams.

Draco stood, still holding Hermione. He placed her on solid ground and then headed for the hallway.

"HELP!"

They ran into the hallway to encounter an ungodly sight. Harry and George were coming down the hallway covered in blood. In between them was the source of the screaming and blood. They half carried, half dragged Ron in between them, a stream of blood behind them.

Ginny walked behind them, pale as a ghost, holding blood covered hands out in front of her.

"Shit," Memory Draco muttered, then took action. "Potter, bring him into the kitchen."

Draco guided them into the kitchen, and Hermione went over to Ginny.

"Gin," Hermione said. Ginny was hyperventilating. "Ginny, calm down what happened."

Ginny continued to hold her hands out, blood cover palms face up. "So much blood, so much blood Hermione. He won't stop screaming. Why won't he stop screaming?" The poor girl began to cry. Visiting Hermione wanted to comfort her friend, but she could only watch.

"Ginny, calm down, it's going to be fine-"

"Hermione!" Hermione turned her attention to Draco's scream of her name.

"What's going on?" Fleur asked from the top of the stairs. She held Victorie in her arms and Teddy stood at the banister, poking his face through the bars.

"Ginny, go upstairs with Fleur. Fleur, keep her and the kids upstairs," Hermione ordered, then rushed off towards the kitchen.

"HERMIONE," Draco yelled again.

"I'm coming, I'm- oh god," she entered the kitchen. Ron laid on the now cleared kitchen table, still screaming, Harry was panicking, George was stunned silent, and Draco was looking at Ron's leg which seemed to be the source of the bleeding. Every once in awhile Ron would flail his limbs and Draco would have to pin him down to the table.

"What are you going to do to him, Malfoy?" Harry said.

"I'm going to try and help him, Potter. Right now I need you to tell me what happened to him."

"It was Death Eaters. Your people! It's your fault isn't it?" Harry screaming now. He had clearly lost control of himself.

Draco raised an eyebrow at Harry, but kept his cool. "Hermione get him out of here," he said calmly, and went back to looking over Ron.

"Fuck you! This is my house you can't make me go anywhere!"

"Harry, you should really go upstairs," Hermione said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He threw her arm away, she gasped and took a step back.

"POTTER!" Draco said stepping towards Harry. "You need to leave now."

"Harry, it's what's best for you," Hermione said calmly.

Harry took a deep, but shaky breath and nodded, then began to cry.

"George take him upstairs," Hermione said.

The frozen Weasley jumped a little at the sound of his name, but nodded and led Harry out of the room.

There were sounds of apparition near the front door. "Hermione, go get Pansy and Blaise if they're back."

Hermione nodded and went out into the hall. Pansy and Blaise stood near the front door, heading towards the sitting room. "Pansy! Blaise!" Hermione shouted. They turned to her and she gestured for them to come into the kitchen.

"Is Weasley okay? We saw him get hit," Pansy said as they entered the kitchen. "Oh shit."

Draco started to pull back Ron's pant leg and Ron began to scream and flail again.

"Fuck Weasley," Draco muttered trying to hold down the injured leg. "Blaise, hold his arms. Hermione, grab his other leg." Blaise and Hermione did as they were told. "Pansy, I need you to tell me exactly what happened."

"It was Dark Magic. Draco, I've never seen a spell like this before. The light that hit him was black, and there was just blood everywhere."

"Conjure me a pair of scissors." Pansy did and handed them to Draco. He began to cut off the pant of the injured leg. Ron flailed again. Hermione grunted and pushed his leg down. Draco then ripped off the sleeve of Ron's shirt and stuffed it in his mouth so, Hermione assumed, Ron would have something to bite down on.

Draco looked more closely at the wound. "Fuck. Fuckfuckfuck. Dammit Weasley."

"What, Draco, what is it?" Hermione asked, worried for her friend.

"The entire lower half of his leg is infected with Dark Magic. The sever in his leg is keeping the infection from spreading to the rest of his body. If I heal him he'll die and if I don't-"

"He'll die."

Hermione and Draco stared at each other for a long time. Visiting Hermione could feel her throat tighten with every passing second.

Draco finally broke the eye contact and looked toward Pansy. "I need you to conjure me some muggle medical tools. I can't do this with magic."

Memory Draco began to rattle off a list of medical tools that Visiting Hermione didn't quite listen to, but one thing that caught her attention was _Bone Saw._

"Oh god," visiting Draco said when his memory self said bone saw. He sounded like he was choking on something. He had clearly realized something that visiting Hermione had yet to grasp.

"Draco," Memory Hermione said, her voice shaking. "Why do you need a bone saw?"

"Hermione, maybe you shouldn't be here." Draco looked incredibly sympathetic and only then did visiting Hermione realize why.

"Oh god no!" She cried out, covering her mouth with her hand. The other visitors looked at her. Both Harry and Ron looked horrified, but they hadn't figured it out yet. Draco knew though, and he reached out and grabbed her arm as an attempt to comfort her.

"Draco Malfoy, tell me why you need a bone saw!" Memory Hermione shouted.

"Hermione-"

"Tell me!"

"Because I have to cut it off! I have to cut off his leg or he'll die."

The room was silent, the only thing that could be heard was Ron's screams through the fabric in his mouth. Visiting Hermione could hear someone vomiting and realized that it was visiting Ron. She looked at Harry, he was as pale as a ghost.

Memory Hermione cleared her throat. "Okay. Tell me what you need me to do." She looked like she was going to cry, but she held it together.

Draco nodded and reached for a knife that Pansy had conjured. He looked at Hermione one more time, then went to work.

Ron began to scream and flail again and Pansy rushed forward to help keep in down. Soon they were all covered in blood.

Visiting Hermione could hear Memory Draco muttering something under his breath. She listened closer. "Come on Weasley, please. Please pass out. Come on pass out, please."

Visiting Hermione let out a sob and realized she had tears streaming down her face. Draco's grip on her arm tightened. She had forgotten his hand was there.

"Harry!" Visiting Hermione cried. "Please, make it stop. Can we please stop?" Her vision was blurring.

Harry was still staring at the scene in front of them.

"Potter," Draco barked. Harry looked at him. "We need a break. She needs a break."

Harry looked down at his best friend. She was as pale as a ghost and her face was stained with tears. Ron wasn't doing very well either. He had his back to the memory and seemed to be breathing heavily.

Harry nodded. "Okay. We'll stop."

At that Ron left the memory, followed by Draco, and Hermione, and finally Harry.

When Hermione's feet touched solid ground, she collapsed. Someone caught her and lifted her up.

She could hear Ron vomiting again, and she began to cry. Those memories were awful, and they still had more to watch.

"Potter, what do we do now?" Draco asked. He was the one holding Hermione.

"We'll go back to my place and sleep. I think we all need sleep."

Hermione agreed. She was already beginning to lose consciousness. She squeezed her eyes shut and soon everything was black.


	7. Chapter 7

So this chapter is a little shorter than the previous chapter was. It was origninally supposed to be a filler chapter, but at the end it honestly turned into one of my favorite chapters. This chapter had some of my favorite quotes from everything I've written so far. Enjoy and please review!

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Chapter 7:

Hermione peeled her eyes open and only found darkness around her. She was laying in a bed, she knew that much, she just wasn't sure whose bed. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, her mouth felt like it was filled with cotton.

She blinked a few times and looked around the room she was in. She was alone. It took her a few minutes to figure it out, but she recognized the room as one of Harry's spare rooms at Grimmauld place.

She threw the covers off and climbed out of the bed. She was still wearing the clothes from earlier and they had grown quite uncomfortable.

She shuffled out of the room to find she was on the second floor. She realized the room she had just woken up in was the same room that Hermione in the memories woke up in after the attack in Diagon Alley.

She shuttered and headed downstairs.

The house was quiet, but Hermione could hear hushed voices in the kitchen. As she headed down the stairs the voices grew louder.

She noticed she was barefoot as her feet touched the cold wood floor. She headed down the hall and walked past the sitting room. In there Ron laid, passed out on the couch, one arm hanging down and brushing the floor.

Hermione finally entered the kitchen to see Harry and Draco sitting at the kitchen table. They were drinking coffee and seemed to be having a relatively civil conversation. Hermione realized that she was now referring to him as Draco in her head.

When she entered the room both men turned their attention to her.

"Hermione," Harry said standing from his seat. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, Harry," she said smiling a bit at her best friend.

Draco watched her as she made her way over to the table.

"Let me get you some tea," Harry said moving towards the cabinets.

"Thank you, Harry."

Draco cleared his throat. "Are you okay?"

Hermione looked up at him. He seemed genuinely concerned for her well being and she decided to answer honestly. "Depends on what you mean by okay."

Draco simply nodded. "I was-" He stopped.

"Was what?" Hermione pushed.

"You freaked us all out a bit when you passed out earlier."

Hermione chuckled a little, but she wasn't sure what was funny. "I think...I think it was all just a bit much."

Draco nodded. "Yes I suppose."

They sat in silence as Harry returned with Hermione's tea. She nodded in thanks and took a sip. The liquid burned her throat but she kept drinking anyway.

"We need to finish watching the memories," Hermione stated. They needed to finish them. Hermione needed to know what happened

Neither boy said anything, but Hermione knew they agreed with her.

"It's been a long day," Harry said standing from his seat. "I think I'm going to try and get some sleep."

Hermione nodded. "You should. Tomorrow will be just as long."

Harry told them goodnight and then headed to his room, leaving his half full coffee.

Hermione and Draco simply sat there for a long time, drinking their beverages. Hermione didn't find the silence awkward, quite the opposite actually, she found it rather comforting.

"I just don't get it," Draco suddenly blurted.

Hermione furrowed her brows in confusion. "Don't get what?"

"Everything," He huffed. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms behind his head. "If it is Bellatrix that's doing-did, all of this, then why? Why is she doing it?"

"I don't know," Hermione said shaking her head. She wished she could give him answers, he seemed so desperate for them, but she had nothing to say.

"Crazy fucking bitch," he muttered.

Hermione snorted at that, which made Draco smirk. He looked exhausted, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. Hermione hadn't realized before just how draining this whole day must have been for Draco. Most of the events did involve his family.

"Are you okay Malfoy?" Hermione asked.

He looked up at her. " Depends on what you mean by okay." He smirked a little, but it was filled with sadness.

Hermione wasn't sure what drove her to say it, maybe it was the exhaustion or maybe she had a moment of sanity, but she asked, "What about us?" Draco's eyebrows shot up. "Or them I guess." She shrugged. "Why do you think it happened?"

"Why do I think the intense snogging happened, or why do I think they started to feel that way?"

Hermione's eyes widened a little at his bluntness. When she didn't respond he answered his own question. "The first I'd say because they got horny being stuck in that house all the time." That made Hermione choke on her tea. "The second I guess...well they seemed to have gone through alot together."

Hermione was surprised at his honesty, but she liked it. "That makes sense."

"Yeah," Draco said then paused. "Those memories are making me think about a lot of things."

Hermione wasn't sure what he meant by that, but she didn't push.

"It's getting quite late," Hermione said looking at the clock on the wall. It read 2:30 am. "You should probably get some sleep."

He smirked. "You should too."

"Yeah, I guess I should." She smiled. It was strange, their conversation wasn't uncomfortable, but she felt strange. She looked down at her clothes. "I just wished I had something else to wear.

Draco laughed and muttered, "Bloody hell."

"What?" He was making fun of her but she wasn't sure what for.

He shook his head. "Granger, you're a witch, remember. You can just transfigure it ," he reminded her.

She was confused for a moment, but then she realized her own stupidity and chuckled. "I seemed to have forgotten that."

"Brightest Witch of our age my ass," Draco said. Years ago that comment would have made Hermione furious, but recent events and his slight grin made her laugh instead.

"Okay," she reached across the table and took his mug from his hands, "It's really time we went to bed." She stood from the table with both mugs and placed them in the sink.

"You're right," he said standing from the table. He stood more than head above Hermione, the top of her head reached just above his shoulder. He looked messy, but not in a bad way. His white button down top was untucked from his trousers and the top few buttons were undone. She was sure he had been wearing a tie this morning but that seemed to have been discarded long before. He also had the sleeves of his shirt pushed up to his elbow, which exposed the white bandage that covered his gashes.

"Have you cleaned that since you left the hospital?" Hermione asked gesturing to his arm.

He looked down at it and furrowed his brows. "Oh, I guess I haven't."

"I could, if you wanted." They both seemed equally surprised by what she had said, but he said something equally surprising.

"Um...sure that would be...yes thank you."

She blinked a few times. She hadn't expected him to say yes, she also hadn't expected to offer to clean his wound. She then pulled her self together and walked towards him.

She pulled out her wand and summoned some healing pastes. She placed them on the table and turned her attention back to Draco.

He held out his arm for her and she began to unwrap the white bandage. She never looked up but she could feel him watching her fingers move. When she finished removing the bandage she examined the gashes. They didn't look much better than they had the other day, but they seemed to be healing. The mangled Dark Mark was much more visible now that the wounds had begun to heal.

"I can't believe someone would do this to a person," Hermione said quietly. With one hand she dipped her fingers into the jar of healing paste, with the other hand she held onto his wrist right below where the cuts were, and began to rub it on the wounds. Draco hissed and clenched his fist. She could feel the muscles tighten in his arm.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said, but continued to clean the area. When she finished, Draco released his hand and let out a breath. Hermione cleaned up the healing paste and put a fresh bandage on his arm.

"Thank you," Draco said. Hermione had a feeling that he wasn't just saying thank you to be polite, he was saying it because he meant it.

She nodded at him. "You're welcome." When she said that, she meant it.

There was a moment of awkward silence before Draco cleared his throat. "We really she be getting to bed if we want to get any decent sleep."

She nodded and they began to leave the room, together. "Are you...how did...was it hard for you? The memories?" Hermione said, stumbling over her words a bit. Draco looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, seeming surprised at her difficulty to speak.

He gave her only two words as a response and said nothing more of it. "Yes. Very." Hermione had never seen, The Slytherin Prince, The Malfoy Heir, The King of the World, quite that honest, quite that vulnerable. While she should've been sorry that he hurt because of the memories, something inside her sparked. He was human too. He had empathy and kindness in him, and he was willing to admit that, even if he seemed reluctant to do so. In that moment, in those two little words, Hermione saw a little of the man she had seen in the memories. She saw a little more of Draco and a little less of _Malfoy_.

They reached Hermione's door in silence, the room he was staying in was one door over. He stopped outside her room and began to speak. "Thank you, for-"

She smiled. "You're welcome." Hermione had assumed that he was thanking her for cleaning his wound, but she later realized she was not sure of what he was thanking her for.

He nodded at her and continued off to his room. Just before he closed his door he shouted out into the hallway. "Goodnight." He then shut his door behind him.

Though he couldn't hear her, Hermione replied with her own goodnight, and then continued into her room. She transfigured the clothes she was wearing into a tee shirt and sweatpants and then climbed into bed.

She laid there thinking about just how confusing Draco Malfoy was to her. Her thoughts continued until she drifted into sleep.

* * *

Draco Malfoy felt oddly safe staying in his ex enemy's spare room. He sat at the edge of the bed thinking about the day's events. He had never imagined this is where he would be at the end of the day. In Harry Potter's house, thinking about the odd girl that was Hermione Granger.

He had always hated her and he had never known why. It wasn't until recently, while alone in drunkenness, that Draco realized just how vile he had been to the girl. The night before he had been attacked, he drank himself into a stupor. Blaise was there to watch his realization, to watch him crumble.

He would never tell her, he couldn't. He couldn't tell her and he wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because he didn't understand her. He couldn't fathom why she'd ever forgive him, and she had. She stood up in court, along with Potter, and defended him. He had done horrible things to her. Called her names, threatened her, he let her get tortured in his own home. That room would forever haunt him.

He didn't understand why she would forgive him, and he didn't believe that she had, not until today. When he first started watching the memories, he expected them to hurt for many different reasons, but he was surprised to find that she hurt him the most. He saw today that she had _actually_ forgiven him. He watched her forgive him again. He watched her trust him. And he watched himself spend every second trying to make up for everything he has ever done.

The memories showed that she had forgiven him, but would he ever forgive himself?

Draco discarded his shoes and shirt and climbed into bed, still baffled by the girl that had forgiven him.


	8. Chapter 8

I'm sorry it has been so long since an update. I got an extreme case of writer's block and I also got incredibly busy. Enjoy!

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Chapter 8:

Hermione stared down into her cup of tea. It was about 7 o'clock in the morning and she was exhausted.

After she had gone back to her room the night before, she had briefly fallen asleep before waking up, tossing and turning. Eventually she had given up on a good nights sleep and had gone back downstairs.

Ron stumbled into the kitchen, still wearing his clothes from the day before. He looked like a mess, but that's what comes with sleeping on the couch. "Mornin', 'mione," He muttered, rubbing the palm of his hand into his eye as he sat down at the table with her.

"Good morning," She said, "How'd you sleep?"

Ron shrugged. "Well enough."

"Good morning," Harry said, coming into the kitchen, already dressed for the day. Harry helped himself to a cup of tea and then placed one in front of Ron. Ron nodded in thanks.

"How did you sleep, Harry," Hermione asked, taking a sip of her own tea.

Harry snorted. "How do you think?"

Ron stood up from the table and tried to find himself something to eat as Draco entered the kitchen. He stood in the door frame for a few moments, not seeming to know where to go.

"Good morning, Draco," Hermione greeted him.

Both Ron and Harry looked towards the door frame. Ron said nothing and turned his attention back to his search for food, but Harry nodded at Draco in acknowledgement.

Draco walked over to the table and gave Hermione a half-assed smile before sitting next to Harry. He may have been raised to be proper, but the boy was incredibly awkward. That thought could almost make Hermione laugh.

They all sat in silence for a few minutes until Hermione spoke up. "We need to finish."

She didn't clarify what they needed to finish, but they all knew what she was talking about.

Harry nodded in agreement. "No matter what. We need to finish them today."

They had agreed to leave for the Ministry at 9 o'clock, it was 8:56. Hermione had returned upstairs and took a wonderfully long shower. She then conjured some new clothes and was just about ready.

She stepped out into the hallway and crashed into a body. "Oh!" She grabbed onto the arm of the person to steady herself. "Sorry," she said, looking up. Malfoy looked down at her, smirking. His hand was on her side, to help steady her.

"You good, Granger?" he asked, still smirking.

"Hello, Malfoy." She looked him over. It seemed that Harry had leant Draco some clothes. They were muggle clothes. He looked funny in Harry's clothes. Considering Harry was a little shorter than Draco was, the pants were a little too short. "We should really be going."

Draco nodded in agreement and then gestured for her to walk in front of him. "Ladies first."

"Oh, then shouldn't you be going?" Hermione quickly replied, then continued down the hallway.

Draco said nothing, but simply smirked and followed her. They headed down the many stairs to the sitting room where Harry and Ron were waiting for them.

"Ready?" Harry asked, as they entered the room. Hermione, Ron, and Draco all nodded or made sounds of acknowledgement. Harry nodded back and they began to head towards the front door and out onto the street.

Once on the street they headed to an empty alley way. "We should side along apparate," Harry said, then he looked at the four of them. He surely didn't want to leave Hermione alone with Malfoy, but neither he nor Ron wanted to be with Malfoy either.

They stood in an awkward silence for a few moments waiting for Harry to move. "Malfoy, come with me," Harry finally said. Hermione could see Malfoy's nose scrunch in slight disgust as he stepped towards Harry. She rolled her eyes and moved over to Ron.

They all Disapparated.

Hermione could feel the world fold around her and then reappear in the Auror's office. She released Ron's slightly clammy hand and began to follow Harry who was already headed towards the interrogation room.

"Harry, slow down," Hermione hissed, jogging slightly to catch up with him and Draco.

"What's up his ass?" Draco muttered, when she caught up to him. Harry was still a few feet in front of them and Ron a few feet behind.

Hermione shrugged. She could feel the workers in the department staring at them. They were an odd group, she didn't blame them. It wasn't often the Golden Trio was seen marching around the Auror's office with a purpose, and if they had been it certainly wasn't with Draco Malfoy.

"Potter!" a shout came from down the hall. It belonged to Sienna, Harry's boss.

Harry stopped where he was and groaned slightly. "Good morning, Sienna," Harry said, through a fake smile. Harry wasn't the biggest fan of his boss, granted no one really was.

"Listen, Potter," Sienna said meeting them in the hallway. He looked over the group his eyes lingering on Malfoy. "Did I hear correctly that you started a confidential case?"

"Yes, sir, that would be correct," Harry replied.

"Why wasn't I notified?" Sienna was becoming visibly agitated, as was Harry.

"Because, sir, it is classified," Harry said, his words dripping with sarcasm.

Sienna raised his eyebrows at Harry. "You've got some nerve, Potter." Sienna was a pudgy middle aged man who became red in the face when angered. "You know you only have this job because you're the golden boy."

Draco snorted. Hermione elbowed him.

Harry's muscles tightened and Ron stepped forward looking ready to defend Harry. Harry hated it when people said he only got things because of who he was. Sienna had hit a nerve.

"That's bullshit, Sienna," Harry spat. "I'm the best Auror you've got and you know it."

"Harry," Hermione said in a warning tone. He ignored her.

"I could have your ass out of here in a second, Potter," Sienna growled, getting in Harry's face.

"You fucking-"

"Potter," Draco stepped forward and grabbed Harry's shoulder yanking him back. "Knock it off." Harry pushed against Malfoy but was shoved back again. "Take a walk jackass, we've got shit to do." Harry complied and walked away from Sienna. Ron followed, but not without glaring at the head of the Auror's office.

"Just so you know, sir," Hermione said to Sienna, "we have clearance directly from Kingsley. Feel free to take this up with him." She began to walk away, but stopped momentarily and looked at the man. "And for your information. Harry deserves this job more than anyone. Especially you." She then marched away with her head held high.

They all stood around the table in the interrogation room watching Harry pour the memories into the pensieve. Harry had calmed down significantly since his minor confrontation with Sienna. Hermione was still surprised that Draco had been the one to stop Harry from doing something he would regret.

She was finding it increasingly difficult to understand Draco Malfoy.

"Ready?" Harry asked, after finishing pouring the memories in. None of them responded. Hermione simply stared at the pensieve, knowing that what they were going to see, wasn't going to be good. Harry sighed, "Okay then." He then dipped his head and fell into the memory, the others following immediately after.

Hermione landed on Harry's right, Ron landed on Harry's left, and Draco landed on the other side of Hermione.

Visiting Hermione looked at the memory. Her Memory-self was standing in her room at Grimmauld Place, staring at herself in the mirror on her dresser. She simply stood there crying and shaking. Her hands were covered in blood, Ron's blood, as was her shirt.

Visiting Hermione's throat clenched at the sight of herself. Memory Hermione let out a gut wrenching sob and began to frantically look through the drawers of the dresser. She tore most of the dresser apart until she pulled out a pair of scissors.

Still sobbing, she grabbed the end of her ponytail, pulled it forward, and cut it off. She threw her severed ponytail down in front of her and let out a cross between a scream and a sob, and began to frantically continue to cut her hair.

Visiting Hermione felt a tear roll down her cheek, but quickly brushed it away.

"Hermione?" a voice called softly. Memory Hermione whipped around to see Memory Draco standing at the doorway, looking incredibly concerned. He seemed to have showered and changed into a new Muggle tee-shirt. He slowly walked towards Memory Hermione, who was still crying.

"Hermione," He said again. "You're okay. It's okay."

She just looked at him, still crying, still shaking, still holding the scissors. Memory Draco took in her whole appearance. He looked towards the ponytail on the dresser and then at the chopped up hair on her head. "Here," he said, reaching out, wrapping his hand around her hand that held the scissors. "Let me."

It took her a few moments, but she eventually let go of the scissors and turned back towards the mirror. She had stopped sobbing now, but tears still rolled down her cheeks. Memory Draco began to slowly and carefully cut her hair.

Visiting Hermione felt her chest tighten at the scene in front of her. She had never seen herself like this, completely and utterly collapsed.

She looked around at her fellow visitors. Draco's face was expressionless, Hermione would have thought he was completely unbothered had it not been for the fist that was clenched so tightly, his knuckles were white. She turned her head to see Harry and Ron. Ron's muscles were tensed up, his shoulders were slightly raised and his face was contorted with stress. Harry had a fist clenched in his hair. Hermione caught his eye. She clenched her jaw and swallowed hard. Harry's face was etched with worry and his eyes held a certain sadness for the girl in memory.

When Hermione looked back to the memory, Memory Draco had finished cutting Hermione's hair so it rested about half way between her jaw and her shoulders. Draco rested the scissors on the dresser in front of them, keeping one hand on Hermione's shoulder. They made eye contact in the mirror. Hermione's eyes were red and puffy, but she was no longer crying. Draco's face was painted with worry for the girl in front of him.

Visiting Hermione could feel the tension building. It was crushing her.

Memory Hermione and Draco held eye contact for a long time. Visiting Hermione held her breath. Memory Hermione turned around in Draco's arms and looked up at him. And then everything happened at once.

Visiting Hermione had been expecting it, but her heart rate still picked up and her breathing hitched. She could here Visiting Draco take in a sharp breath. She was very aware of the man next to her as their memory counterparts latched onto each other.

They kissed each other with a fervor. Memory Draco slipped his hands to Hermione's waist and lifted her onto the dresser. Visiting Hermione noticed just how tiny she looked next to Draco Malfoy. She tangled her hands into his hair and they pressed themselves closer together. Visiting Hermione could feel her face grow hotter but she couldn't tear her eyes away. Memory Hermione's hands traveled to the hem of Draco's shirt, and pulled it upwards. Getting the idea, Draco pulled away momentarily and grabbed the collar of his tee shirt and yanked the shirt over his head, then returned to kissing the girl in front of him. Memory Hermione's hands roamed his torso as he quickly undid the buttons of her bloody blouse. He slipped it off of her shoulder's and as he did so, captured her neck with his mouth. Memory Hermione, made a slight moaning sound, which cause Visiting Hermione to choke on the breath she'd been holding.

Memory Draco wrapped one arm around Hermione's torso and grabbed her thigh with the other hand. She wrapped her legs around him in reply and he lifted her up and began to move towards the bed in the middle of the room.

Visiting Hermione heard Harry make a slight choking sound at the realization of what his surrogate sister and his school rival were doing.

The memory began to blur and fade. Although they didn't see everything, they knew exactly what had happened between the ex enemies.

Visiting Hermione finally glanced at Draco out of the corner of her eye, her heart racing. His jaw was clenched and his hands balled up. He looked over at her, feeling her stare. His eyes didn't hold any sort of anger or malice. She saw something in his eyes she didn't know how to identify, but she knew her eyes held the same emotion.

Hermione broke her gaze with Malfoy and turned her attention back to the returning memory. Memory Hermione and Memory Draco were asleep in the bed, completely naked. Visiting Hermione's cheeks reddened at the sight of her bare skin.

Memory Draco laid on his back, with his left arm wrapped around Hermione, his hand resting on her lower back. She laid on her stomach, with her head on his chest, and her arm slung across his waist. The sheet barely covered them, it rested just above Hermione's bum and loosely clung to Draco's hips. Visiting Hermione noticed that Draco's free right hand loosely held the hand the was thrown across his waist. They looked quite peaceful like this, however Visiting Hermione could not enjoy the serenity and sweetness of the image, because her heart was pounding at the knowledge that her two best friends were seeing her like this.

Memory Hermione's eyes began to open. She blinked a few times at the brightness of the room, then looked up at Draco. He seemed to feel her movement and began to open his eyes as well. He looked down at her and they smiled at each other.

Visiting Hermione's heart pounded harder. It was strange seeing herself like this. It was strange seeing herself be so intimate with someone she had never imagined. It was also strange knowing that someone was seeing the same thing. What was he thinking? Was his heart pounding too?

His heart was in fact racing at that point, but she would never know that.

Suddenly, there was a bang as the door flew open. Both Memory Hermione and Memory Draco bolted upright. Hermione pulled the sheets up to cover herself and Draco threw an arm out in front of her holding his wand in the other hand.

A frozen Ginny Weasley stood in the doorway staring at the two people in the bed.

"Ginny-" Hermione started, but was interrupted.

"Harry wants you down stairs," Ginny said quickly. She then looked at Draco. "I guess both of you." The young witch then turned on her heel and marched out of the room, quickly shutting the door behind her.

Memory Hermione and Draco sat in shocked silence for a few moments before Draco said, "Doesn't anyone know how to fucking knock around here?" He then proceeded to swing his legs over the side and pick up what appeared to be his pants.

Memory Hermione's cheeks reddened as he stood up to pull on his pants, visiting Hermione let out something between a cough and a choking sound. She quickly glanced over at Visiting Draco and saw a blush rising in his cheeks, but his expression remained solid.

Once he was wearing his pants, Memory Draco turned his attention to Hermione. "You okay?" he asked her.

She took a deep breath and looked around for any form of clothing. Draco bent over and grabbed his discarded t shirt and gently handed it to her. "Thank you," she said, and strategically slipped it over her head, not letting the sheet covering her fall.

Once she had on the tee shirt she stood up. The shirt ended at the top of her thighs, just covering her. She began to wander around the room until she found her knickers and slipped them on. Draco stood shirtless in the middle of the room, watching her spin in circles.

"Granger," he said. She looked over at him. "You never answered my question."

She sighed. "No, Draco, I'm not okay."

He looked concerned. "What's wrong? Was it-"

"No," she quickly said. "Not that."

Visiting Hermione could hear Ron gag slightly.

"Than what is it?"

Memory Hermione huffed and then grabbed at her new short hair. "It's just...everything! Everything is wrong. I didn't sign up for another war, Draco. I didn't want this. I had to cut off my best friend's leg last night. That's kind of fucked up, don't you think?!" She was yelling now.

Draco tried to console her, "It's okay Hermi-"

"NO. It's not okay!" She stepped farther away from him. "You had to cut someone's leg off last night! How are you just okay with this!" She was practically screaming now, it would be a wonder if the others didn't hear her.

In two strides, Draco was standing in front of Hermione, holding onto her arms. "I'm not okay with it. I'm not okay either."

Memory Hermione did not cry, but Visiting Hermione could tell by her clenched jaw and her rapid breathing, that she was trying her hardest to keep tears back.

Memory Draco seemed to be able to tell too because he pulled her forward and wrapped his arms around her. She hugged him back. Visiting Hermione felt strange. She felt she shouldn't be watching this, that it was too intimate, too personal, even though it was about herself. But she knew her future self had picked all of these memories for a reason, she just wasn't sure what that reason was yet.

Memory Draco kissed that top of Hermione's head. "It's going to be okay," He said quietly into her hair. "We're going to be okay."

The memory began to fade.

Visiting Hermione looked at her companions. They all seemed completely enthralled, while at the same time utterly uncomfortable.

When the memory reappeared Draco and Hermione were now fully dressed walking down the hall in silence. The visitors followed after them. They stopped at a door down the hall.

It was Ron's room.

Visiting Hermione took in a sharp breath at the sight of Ron in the bed. He looked terrible. Memory Hermione averted her eyes from the door. Draco noticed and gently grabbed her hand.

"How is he?" Draco asked Pansy, who was sitting in a chair next to the bed. Draco must have had Pansy keeping an eye on Ron.

Pansy looked between Draco and Hermione and then at their hands, but didn't say anything. "He is as good as he can be," she said. "He hasn't woken up yet, and I have to change his bandages in a few minutes."

Draco nodded. "Thank you Pans." He then began to turn away but Pansy stopped him.

"Drake, can you let me know what happens downstairs. Harry called an order meeting, but I think I'm going to stay up here."

Draco nodded at her and then he and Hermione began to head downstairs.

Visiting Draco's heart hadn't stopped pounding since the memories had started. His head was spinning and he felt emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausted.

This was all too much for him.

The case, Bellatrix, Hermione Granger.

It was all too much.

He was supposed to be the bad guy. She wasn't supposed to like him. She was supposed to hate him. He was supposed to be the _bad guy_ , not the guy that comforts the girl he ruthlessly bullied in school.

The visitors followed Memory Hermione and Draco down to the kitchen where Harry was waiting for them along with the rest of the order.

As his Memory self sat down at the table next to Hermione, Draco became very aware of the girl next to him. She was seeing all the same memories as him. Was her heart pounding as much as his?

Draco looked around the kitchen. All of these people hated him, but here they were all working together. He just didn't understand. Blaise sat across from his memory self. How did he get involved in all of this? He had so many questions.

Draco noticed that the Weaslette's eyes were glued to Memory Hermione and Draco. Potter looked like an absolute wreck. He looked exhausted and quite ill. He had become unkempt. They all had.

This was only supposedly two years in the future, but they looked so much older. Potter clearly hadn't been shaving, as he had some scruff. Most of the men had some facial hair growing in making them look shaggy and messy. Blaise looked much like a hardened soldier, which worked well for him. He still seemed relatively upbeat though.

Even Draco, who considered himself very well kept, seemed to have let go a little. His hair was longer and shaggier and hung in his eyes a bit.

The entire Weasley family looked like a mess. Draco didn't blame them.

Harry stood up and cleared his throat to call attention, although there was no reason because everyone was already silent. "What happened yesterday was a mess," he said. "We are dealing with a much bigger enemy than we had expected. They have spells we don't understand, they have-"

"Potter," Memory Draco interrupted. Harry looked at him. "They have Bellatrix."

Many people began talking at once. "What?" Harry said.

"We figured it out yesterday," Memory Hermione said. "It was all too messy to be Lucius. It was crazed and sporadic. It matched Bellatrix."

"But...how?" Harry sputtered.

"Mum killed that bitch," George Weasley said.

"Harry, she had a Horcrux," Hermione explained.

"My mother's necklace," Draco said. "That was stolen from her vault a while ago."

Memory Harry's jaw tightened at that and he took a deep breath before speaking. "Well then change of plans," Harry said, darkly. "We kill Bellatrix."

The memory faded.

Visiting Draco audibly scoffed at that. "He's out of his mind. He can't just kill her."

Weasley and Potter both glared at him, but Granger looked at him without malice. She knew he was right.

When the memory returned the entire Order of the Phoenix stood in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. The table had been removed and a camera was set up.

Draco noticed that Weasley was there. He was standing with crutches though he didn't look right. He seemed off.

"Okay, everyone," Mrs. Weasley yelled, "Line up for the picture." She seemed in a much happier mood now that her son was up and about.

Potter kneeled down to the level of a little boy with bright blue hair. "Go stand behind the camera for me Teddy." He then stood up and watched the boy run off to his place, before he walked over to the Weaslette.

Draco saw his memory self cross the room the Memory Granger. They both looked significantly better than they had in the previous memory. Granger's hair had grown out a little so it looked less choppy and weird. Memory Draco stood incredibly close behind her but didn't quite touch her. He craned his neck so his mouth was at her ear and whispered.

Had this been the real world Draco wouldn't have been able to hear what his memory self had said, but because this was a memory, specifically Granger's memory, they all heard the faint _I love you,_ he whispered in her ear. In the real world they also wouldn't have been able to hear her quiet reply of _I love you too._ As soon as the words left her mouth, Memory Draco had turned on his heel and marched across the room to Zabini, but not before brushing his hand against Granger's.

The sight of the sincere and intimate touch made Draco's chest tighten and his fist clench. He doubted Potter or Weasley had noticed the interaction between their hands but he had no difficulty imagining that Granger had noticed every little detail.

Visiting Hermione cleared her throat before speaking. "They seem to still be...keeping… it...a secret."

No one acknowledged what she had said. They simply kept watching the memories.

Everyone began to line up in the exact order that they were in for the picture that had been sent back with the memories. Pansy stood next to Weasley and placed a hand on his shoulder. Draco didn't know if it was to comfort him or to keep him upright but the action seemed odd for Pansy. Memory Draco began to line up with Blaise and Memory Granger dragged Ginny and Harry in the picture and both Draco and Granger discreetly positioned themselves so they ended up next to each other.

"Hey, mate, I have something I've been meaning to talk to you about," Blaise said, as everyone else began to fill in for the picture.

"Yeah? What is it?" Memory Draco asked, as Hermione and Ginny positioned themselves so they were slightly facing each other. Weaslette still held onto Potter's hand.

"Well, it's about a gir-"

"Would you two hush up and smile?" Granger scolded them.

As she turned back towards Ginny, Memory Draco did something both bold and stupid. He threw his arm around Granger.

No one seemed to notice however visiting Draco did notice Blaise looking across the room to Luna Lovegood. "Holy shit," visiting Draco muttered.

"What?" Granger questioned, as the camera flashed in the memory.

"Zabini has a thing for Lovegood," Draco said. "That's what he was trying to tell me before you so rudely interrupted him."

As soon as the picture was taken, Pansy helped Weasley over to a chair. Memory Granger looked quite concerned as she and Ginny followed them over.

"Ron, what's wrong?" Granger asked.

"Nothing...I...I just can't stand for that long," Weasley muttered.

"That's why Dra-Malfoy conjured you that leg," Granger said, as Weasley rubbed the spot above where his leg had been cut off. Draco didn't miss that Granger's slip up with his name. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye knowing she didn't miss it either.

"I don't like the leg," Ron said quietly, not looking up at any of the three girls.

"Why not ?" Ginny asked.

Memory Weasley didn't say anything for a moment. "Because it pinches." Pansy, Granger, and Weaslette exchanged worried glances and then the memory began to fade.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

When the memory reappeared the visitors stood in the room Memory Draco and Hermione had been in earlier but now it was dark.

Visiting Hermione took in her surroundings. It was difficult to see but there were very clearly books everywhere. She would expect nothing less from herself.

In the bed there were very clearly two sleeping bodies. She assumed they belonged to herself and Draco.

"Hermione!" A shout came from downstairs.

The woman in the bed began to stir but not quite wake up. There was thumping on the stairs and the voice got louder. "Hermione, wake up!"

The voice belonged to Harry. Visiting Hermione could detect a twinge of anxiety in his voice. The voice travelled a few paces down the hallway and then said, "Malfoy! Malfoy, wake up! Come down stairs." Harry could then be heard running back down the stairs.

"I think Draco is in another room," Visiting Harry said.

"What?" Visiting Draco said as his memory self woke up along with Hermione. The two of them began to scramble out of bed and grab more clothes then the underwear they were wearing.

"He's right there," visiting Ron pointed out.

"No not me...I mean me-him-"

"Everyone in the memory doesn't know about the two of them still," Hermione clarified understanding what Harry was trying to say. "That's why Harry walked past my-her door to yell for Draco. Because Draco is supposed to be sleeping down the hall."

"Hermione! Malfoy!" Memory Harry called again from a distance.

Memory Hermione and Draco then rushed out of the room and downstairs. Hermione had managed to pull and oversized tee shirt on and Draco had slipped on pajama pants but that was about it.

The visitors rushed after them and followed them all the way downstairs to the kitchen where they all stopped dead in their tracks. A large portion of the order stood around in their pajamas all looking quite grave.

"This must be everyone living at Grimmauld place," Visiting Hermione observed. She then noticed Ginny sat at the kitchen table hunched over slightly with tears rolling down her cheeks. Visiting Hermione's throat tightened. Something bad has happened.

"Potter what happened?" Memory Draco said stepping slightly past Hermione and toward Harry.

"The...the Ministry...there's been…" Memory Harry sounded like he was choking as he spoke.

"Potter, what the fuck happened," Malfoy said stepping closer to him. It sounded quite aggressive but Visiting Hermione noticed the genuine concern on Memory Malfoy's face. She glanced at the man next to her to see if his expression matched his memory counterparts. It didn't. He seemed more confused then concerned.

"Kingsley is dead." The room was silent for a moment before Harry continued talking. "Bellatrix and the death eaters have control of the ministry."

The room was completely still for a moment, and then in one fluid moment memory Draco snatched a glass off of the table and turned on his heel and threw it at the wall behind him. It landed squared between Visiting Draco and Visiting Hermione. She should have been hit with shattered glass, but she wasn't actually there was she.

Memory Draco then stalked towards the glass he had broken and stopped within inches from visiting Hermione. She stared at him. His bare chest rising and falling. She doesn't know what compelled her to do it but she reached out and grabbed his shoulder, but her hand passed right through him, because she wasn't there.

Her hand remained outstretched as Memory Draco attempted to control his breathing with his back to the rest of the room.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her outstretched arm. She looked over and realized Visiting Draco had gently grabbed her. "He's not there. You can't help him."

She pulled her arm back and let his hand slip away. As he let go of her his memory counterpart began to turn back to the rest of the room.

"We still have people in there. And information that she can use against us," Memory Harry said looking down at his feet. "She doesn't have total control yet. It's still chaos. We need to get everything we can out."

"I'm going," Memory Draco declared, starring Harry down.

"No," Memory Hermione protested behind him, but she wasn't heard.

"Malfoy, you can't go. You're not supposed to leave it's not sa-"

"What it's not safe, Potter?" Malfoy shouted. "It's not safe for any of us! The world has gone to shit, there's no point in me trying to hide anymore. Besides Weasley can't go and you need a second."

"Are you kidding?" Hermione said looking between the two men. "Harry, you can't let him.

Harry ignored her. "Fine Malfoy. Let's go."

"You can't be serious," Memory Hermione seemed slightly outraged. "If he's going, I'm going too."

"No," Memory Draco said darkly. Visiting Hermione noticed that Memory Harry had looked ready to say yes to Hermione but stopped at Draco's demand.

"It's not your call," Hermione said trying to push past him to get to Harry.

Draco grabbed her and pulled her back in front of him. "You are not going."

The entire room stared watching them seeming very confused. Everyone was watching except Blaise and Ginny.

"Blaise knows," Visiting Draco said, noticing his friends averted eyes.

Hermione didn't say anything but she knew he was right. People were watching because this was a strange argument for Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy to be having, but Ginny and Blaise both knew that this was an argument that meant a lot more.

"Yes I am. You can't tell me what to do," Hermione said pushing against Draco.

He gripped her arms tight. "You are not going. I can't protect you," he was shouting now.

Hermione was yelling back. "You don't need to protect me!"

"Yes I do!"

The whole room was silent. But Visiting Hermione noticed the shift in Harry's face as well as others. They were realizing what was happening.

"Why?" Hermione demanded. Her face was red with frustration now.

"Because," Draco took a moment to calm himself and then very gently continued. "Because I can't lose you."

The two just stared at each other for a few moments. Visiting Hermione looked at the man next to her and realized he wasn't watching. He was staring at his feet.

Memory Hermione didn't say anything, she just took a step back from Draco and let him continue with Harry.

Harry nodded but didn't say anything. He, Draco, Blaise, George, Angelina, Neville, and Pansy begin to get ready to leave. Draco grabbed one of Harry's spare Auror cloaks and threw it over his naked torso. They all head for the floo and just before Draco steps in Memory Hermione stops him. "Draco." He just looked at her. "Be safe."

"I will." And then he was gone and then the memory began to shift.

"Well everyone knows about them now," Visiting Harry said as the memory reappeared. It seemed to be a little later. Memory Hermione was sitting at the bottom of the stairs.

"I'm...She's waiting," Visiting Hermione points out. She was waiting for Draco to come back. She looked over at the man next to her and could tell he knew exactly what she was waiting for. She was waiting for him.

The sound of apparition followed by the door opening could be heard and Memory Hermione bolted up from her seat at the stairs. Ginny comes down the stairs behind her.

The first to come through the door is George followed by Angelina. They looked worn down and tired. A few moments later more apparition could be heard and then Pansy, Neville, and Blaise made there way through the door. Pansy looked awful and this didn't go unnoticed.

"Pansy, what happened?"Memory Ginny asked walking a little further down the stairs.

Pansy swallowed and looked up at Ginny with empty eyes. "My father."

Visiting Hermione could hear Draco inhale sharply next to her.

"What do you-"

"He was there," Pansy continued. "He tried to kill me."

"Pans-"

"So I killed him," Pansy stated darkly and then continued into the house.

Blaise exchanged worried glances with Memory Hermione and Ginny and then continued after Pansy.

"Shit," Draco muttered quietly but Hermione heard it.

For the next few minutes they watched Hermione and Ginny anxiously wait for Harry and Draco to return.

"Ginny?" Hermione says.

"Yes?"

"Where are they?"

"I don't know Mione."

"I...I-" Memory Hermione was interrupted by the pop of apparition outside.

Seconds later Harry strode into the house. "Oh thank god," Ginny said going over to him.

"He's alone," Visiting Hermione says. Her chest was tight with anxiety even though the person she was looking for stood right next to her.

"Harry," memory Hermione says quietly.

Memory Harry turns to her with stress on his face. "I don't know...I don't know where he is Mione," Harry says moving towards her but it wouldn't do anything. Visiting Hermione could see herself already beginning to freak out.

"He was supposed to be with you? Where is he?"

"I don't-"

"Why isn't he with you?"

"Hermione, I'm sure he'll be right back," Ginny said trying to comfort her friend, but the fact that Draco should have been back was clear on her face.

"I should be back," Draco muttered quietly enough that only Hermione heard.

"Ginny what if he doesn't come back?"

"I-"

"He has to come back. I-He-I love him. He-he has to come back Ginny. Why isn't he back?" Memory Hermione's breathing was visibly increasing at an alarming rate.

"She's panicking," visiting Harry said.

Visiting Hermione turned her attention to Draco next to her. His attention was fully on the scene in front of him, she suspected that it was because he was worried about his future self but then she thought he had something that couldn't have been right but then he repeated louder. "I'm right here." He took a step towards memory Hermione but then stopped at the realization that he wasn't right there. He couldn't help her.

At the pop of apparition Visiting Hermione's attention was drawn back to the memory. The whole room froze as Draco Malfoy walked through the front door of Grimmauld place. He was drenched with sweat and stained with blood. Hermione couldn't be sure if the blood even belonged to him.

In three quick strides memory Hermione was across the room and latched onto Draco. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he hugged her back still gripping his wand in his fist. Visiting Hermione released a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding as Draco hugged her memory self tighter.

Memory Hermione wasn't audibly crying but by the way she buried her face in Draco's shoulder, Visiting Hermione could tell that there were tears.

"Where were you?" Memory Hermione said softly.

"I'm sorry," Memory Draco said pulling back from her. He kissed her on the forehead and then softly on the lips, not caring that Harry and Ginny were watching. Then the memory began to fade and shift again.

None of the visitors said anything as the memory reappeared. The entire Order was in the kitchen of Grimmauld place. Harry stood at the head of the table and everyone's eyes were on him. Ginny sat at his left and Hermione and Draco sat at his right.

"We lost the Ministry last night," Memory Harry said. "We're on our own." There was a moment of silence before Harry continued. "We're no longer safe. I would prefer if everyone were here." He looked at all of the Weasleys. "The Burrow isn't safe anymore."

Harry then turned his attention to Hermione. "In the event that we have to...run… Hermione has been working on something."

Memory Hermione emptied a small bag of galleons onto the table. "No way," Visiting Hermione muttered.

"For those of you that were in Dumbledore's army, you may remember these. The galleons were charmed to send messages. We would use them to send the location of where we were meeting. In the event that we have to separate we can use these to meet back up," she explained and began to give a coin to each Order member.

Harry nodded and then looked at Draco. "Malfoy," he addressed.

Draco nodded and sat forward in his seat a little. "Well last night at the ministry I saw her. I saw Bellatrix." He paused. "And well...she has...there's...she has another one."

"No," Visiting Hermione whispered knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"Shit," Visiting Draco breathed coming to the same realization.

"Another what?" Visiting Ron asked but before any of his companions could answer, Memory Draco did.

"She has another Horcrux."

The memory changes again. When it reappeared Memory Hermione stood in the library at Grimmauld Place with Ginny and Teddy. There is a shift in the air.

"What was that?" Visiting Harry said at the same time as Ginny.

Visiting Hermione started a thought, "The magic…" and her memory counterpart finished it, "The wards. They've been dropped."

Suddenly there were loud bangs and shouting.

"They're under attack," Visiting Hermione said.

"Ginny," Memory Hermione said looking at her friend frantically, "Take Teddy. Go. Now."

Ginny grabbed onto the little boy and turned on the spot apparating away. Hermione then dashed into the hallway and the visitors followed her. A spell flies past Memory Hermione's head. The visitors as well as Hermione watch the path of the spell and see it hit Hannah Abbott down the hall. She collapses.

There is a scream. It belongs to Neville. He rushes forward to his fallen girlfriend. Hermione rushes towards him.

"Neville you have to go," Hermione says as she attempts to block spells from hitting herself and Neville.

He ignores her. Pansy comes running down the hall. She sees the scene with Hermione and Neville. She fires a spell at the Death Eater shooting at Hermione and then grabs Neville. "Come on Longbottom." She apparated away with Neville.

Hermione continues to run down the hall, the visitors follow her. "Draco!" She turns the corner and sees Charlie Weasley go down. She fires a spell at the Death Eater that killed him and keeps moving.

"Why is she still in there?" Visiting Draco mutters. "She's going to get killed."

Further down the hall she sees Harry fighting off a Death Eater. She helps Harry take him down. "Ginny and Teddy got out." Harry looks relieved. That was clearly why he was still there.

"Hermione, we have to go," Harry says as she starts to run away from him.

"I can't. I have to find Draco."

"Hermione!"

"I have to find him, Harry."

She turns the corner again and crashes into a body. She steps back and sees the it's Draco.

Without saying a word he grabs onto her and dissaperates.

The world bent around the visitors as they disapparated. When they reappeared they were standing in a wooded area surrounded by Order members.

Harry stood hugging Ginny and Teddy. Neville is collapsed on the ground crying. Visiting Hermione counts the number of people she sees. "There's people missing," she says as she watches Molly walk around looking for all of her children.

Memory Hermione walks over to Harry and Ginny. Draco follows her. "Harry," she says. "Hannah...and...Charlie." Ginny jaw tightens at the mention of her brothers name.

"I saw Angelina go down," Draco said putting a hand on Hermione's shoulder.

Visiting Hermione saw George sitting up against a tree. Completely silent. She felt her chest tighten. She was watching her friends die around her.

Memory Ron limped over to the group, now wearing the leg Draco had made him. "We lost Angelina, Charlie, Hannah, and...Percy."

The memory started to change again. In the new memory Harry, Draco, Hermione, Ron, Bill, Pansy, Blaise, and Ginny are sitting around a table inside of a tent.

"Harry," Visiting Hermione said looking over at her friend.

"I know," he replied. It was the same tent that she, Harry, and Ron had lived in during the war.

"If we can get the Fidelius Charm to work we can use it on the Manor. We can use that as headquarters," Memory Draco said to the group.

"Bill and I have almost gotten it figured out," Memory Hermione said. "But we're going to need a secret keeper."

"I'll do it," Pansy said looking up from her hands.

Before anyone could respond to Pansy there was a scream outside the tent.

The group ran outside and the visitors followed.

The scream had come from Fleur. Victorie stood about 30 feet away. Fleur didn't move as if there was something blocking her.

"They have boundaries set up," Visiting Hermione realized. "That's why Fleur screamed. Victorie is outside the boundaries right now. The magic is probably concealing their location. They're probably being tracked.

"Fleur don't move," Draco said rushing forward. He ran past her outside of the boundaries and grabbed Victorie and then rushed back. He handed the little girl to her mother and then looked to Harry.

"We have to go," Harry said. "Now"

The memory began to change again.

"They're getting shorter," Visiting Hermione said as the memory began to reappear.

"And more sporadic," Draco pointed out.

In the new memory Hermione stood at the window of a bedroom. Visiting Hermione could see that it was snowing a bit outside.

"This is the master bedroom of the Manor," Visiting Draco said.

"They got the Fidelius Charm to work," Hermione said as Memory Draco came up behind her memory self and hugged her.

"Draco?" Memory Hermione said.

"Yeah?"

"I don't think we can do it. I don't think we can beat her."

The memory disappeared again.

"I think we're almost at the end," Hermione said. In the next memory Hermione, Draco, Harry, Ron, Blaise, Arthur, Fleur, Bill, and Pansy stood in the entrance hall of the manor. Bill and Pansy had knapsacks, it looked like they were going somewhere.

"Are you sure you two want to do this?" Arthur said to Bill and Pansy.

"It's going to be quick dad," Bill said. "Besides we need the supplies. We can't wait anymore."

"It's going to be quick and safe," Pansy said. "We'll be fine."

"You really shouldn't be going Pans," Ron said.

"Who else is going to go," She argued. "Harry can't. He's basically our leader and besides he has a wife."

Visiting Hermione looked to Harry and noticed the wedding band on his finger. "You...He and Ginny must've gotten married."

"Well Bill has a wife too," memory Harry argued back.

"You're not going Harry," Bill said. "And no one else is either. It'll be quick we'll be fine."

No one argues and Bill and Pansy move to leave. Memory Ron steps forward and kisses Pansy hard, before she goes. Then the memory begins to skip.

When it returns Draco and Hermione lay in the bed of the room they had been in before. Draco bolts upright waking Hermione up. "Hermione. The wards. The wards are down."

The two jumped out of bed and began rushing around the room, wands gripped tightly in their hands.

Draco grabbed two knapsacks. He put one on his back and tossed the other to Hermione. She grabbed it and then ran after him out the door.

Down the hall Ginny could be seen disapparating with Teddy. In the other direction Blaise and Luna disappeared. They run down the hall checking for the friends as the visitors followed after them.

On the floor there was a body. It was Fleur.

"Draco," Memory Hermione said. "Victorie."

Draco nodded and the pair began to look through every room, searching for a little girl. Suddenly Draco stopped in front of a closet causing Hermione to almost run into him. He opened the closet door to reveal Victorie crouched on the ground with tears on her face.

Draco bent down and picked her up. "You're okay," he said and the grabbed Hermione around the waist and disapparated.

The memory changed again. The few remaining members of the Order now seemed to be hiding out in a are many faces missing.

"Ron," Visiting Hermione said. "You're...He's not there."

"Neither is Pansy," Draco pointed out. "They made her secret keeper. That's how the Death Eaters got into the manor. They killed her."

The four visitors were silent.

Victorie and Teddy seemed to be asleep in sleeping bags as the adults stood around talking.

"It's been three weeks," Blaise said. "We can't keep running every day."

"What else are we supposed to do Zabini?" Harry fired at him.

"There's nothing else to do Blaise," Hermione said much calmer than Harry had. "We have nowhere else to go."

"Whether you like it or not Blaise," Draco said, "the rest of our short lives are going to be spent running. We're going to die like this and there is nothing we can do about it."

The memory started to change again. "They've given up," Visiting Hermione said quietly. No one responded.

Now the Order sat around a radio in the same cave. Something wasn't right. Molly and Ginny were crying. Hermione's eyes were filled with tears and her jaw was clenched. Draco stood facing away from the group. Harry sat with his head in his hands. Blaise stood next to the radio with his fists clenched and Luna stood behind him, hugging him.

Visiting Hermione listened closely to what was being said on the radio. "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has been attacked. Headmistress Minerva McGonagall is dead. There are countless student casualties…"

"I have to go," Harry said standing up. "I have to help."

"Harry," Memory Hermione said her voice sounding broken.

"You can't help, Potter," Draco said turning around. "It's over."

The memory changed again. They were changing faster and faster. Hermione knew this was it. They were almost done.

It was now the middle of the night and everyone appeared to be asleep. Except Hermione.

She had her knapsack on and was fully dressed. She had two slips of paper in her hands. One she folded up and put in her pocket, the other she laid next to a sleeping Harry. Visiting Hermione could make out the words on the note for Harry. It simply said ' _I'm sorry'._

"She's leaving," Visiting Hermione said.

Memory Hermione begins to walk out of the cave but she is grabbed by someone. Draco.

"She was going to leave him," Visiting Draco said softly.

"You're not leaving, 'Mione," Memory Draco said.

"I have to Draco. I have to do something."

"You have to get yourself killed?"

"What else am I supposed to do?" she half shouted. "I can't just sit around and watch my friends die anymore."

Draco was quiet for a moment seeming to think. "Well then I'm going with you."

"No Draco."

"Yes. I'm going with you. We're all going to die anyway Hermione. I don't know why we all keep pretending we're going to win. I promised myself I was going to spend the rest of my life with you Hermione, and I'm not going to let you ruin that by dying first."

Hermione thought for a moment. She didn't say anything, she just simply stuck her hand out and let him take it. With his hand in her's they disapparated.

When they reappeared they stood in the aurors office. It looked completely abandoned as if no one had been there in years.

Draco and Hermione ran towards the elevator and the visitors followed after them. Hermione hits a button and the elevator begins to move.

"Department of Mysteries."

"Why would she go here?" Harry asked.

"The time turner," Visiting Hermione said looking at her best friend.

This department was abandoned as well. Draco and Hermione began to wander until they find the time turners. The memories are messy now, almost difficult to watch.

"Before the Death Eaters took control of the Ministry," Memory Hermione explained to Draco looking at the time turners. "The ministry created two more." She reached out and grabbed one and as she lifted it up a piercing alarm went off. Her and Draco locked eyes. "Run."

They bolted through the department of mysteries and the visitors chased after them as death eaters began to appear from nowhere firing spells at the pair.

They sprint through the ministry heading for the Main Atrium apparition point. Suddenly Draco is hit with a spell. He collapsed.

Visiting Hermione stopped dead in her tracks staring at the dead man who wasn't really there as her memory counterpart let out a soul crushing scream. Another spell is fired and barely misses Memory Hermione. She keeps running but Visiting Hermione can't seem to make herself move.

"Granger go," Visiting Draco said grabbing her. "We have to follow her." He was refusing to look at his own body.

Hermione stumbled forward as her memory self reached the apparition point and the world bent around them landing them in Muggle London. Memory Hermione began to dash through the crowds, Death Eaters still chasing after her.

A spell flies past her head and hits a muggle man in front of her. It is the dead man they found. Another spell hits her in the side causing her to gush blood. She collapses on top of the dead man and apparated away.

When she reappears she is now sitting in the garden of the Burrow. It is completely destroyed. The side of the house was charred. It was unrecognizable. Hermione was sobbing as blood was spilling out of her side.

"She's going to die," Draco said quietly.

She takes the note she had written earlier and stuffs it into his pocket. She then takes out another piece of paper. Her hands are shaking. It's the photo they found on the man. She rubs a bloody finger over her and Draco and then places it in the man's hand. She places the time turner around his neck and then takes her wand and places it against her temple. And then everything goes black.

"Fuck," Draco whispers to the darkness.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

The group had been sitting in silence in the interrogation room for what semed like hours, but must have only been a few minutes.

Ron was the first to speak. "Now what?"

Hermione took a deep breath and then spoke. "Well what do we know?"

"Nothing," Harry said, standing from his seat. He began walking in circles. "I don't feel like I know anything anymore."

"Calm down, Potter," Draco said rubbing his forehead. "Stop it with the melodrama." Harry looked like he wanted to snap back but he let it go. "Granger, make a list of everything that happened. Starting at the beginning."

Hermione found her bag and pulled a notepad and quill from it.

She stared at the paper for a moment trying to remember what happened first. What did it start with? "Pansy's attack that happened first," she said, writing it on the paper.

"Yes," Harry said, "Then there was the Dark Mark over Andromeda's."

Hermione scrawled that down as fast as she could.  
"Yes, and then my mother's vault was broken into. Or at least that's when they found out about it," Draco said. Hermione wrote that down too.

"Then Malfoy was attacked again," Ron added.

"Then me and Her-Granger were attacked," Malfoy said. Hermione paused her writing for a second and looked at him. He had almost called her Hermione. She didn't say anything and kept writing.

"Wait, no," Harry said. Hermione paused her quill. "Azkaban was attacked before you were both attacked, right?"

"Yeah I think that's right," Ron agreed.

Hermione crossed out what she had just written and wrote _Azkaban attack,_ she then wrote down her and Draco's attack.

"Then Malfoy's mother was killed," Ron said.

Hermione started to right that before Draco's words stopped her. "No the order was started before that. When did that happen?"

All three boys began to talk at once. Hermione couldn't understand a word they were saying.

"Stop it," She said, "Everyone needs to slow down." She drew an 'X' through the page and flipped to the next piece of paper. "Okay now start again from the beginning, slowly. Make sure it's in the right order."

They went through everything again and finally had the finished list.

 _Pansy's Attack_

 _Dark Mark at Andromeda's_

 _Narcissa's vault break in_

 _Malfoy's second attack_

 _Azkaban Attack_

 _Hermione and Malfoy's attack_

 _Order Restarted_

 _Narcissa Malfoy dead_

 _Muggle London Attack_

 _Bellatrix_

 _Ron's leg_

 _Kingsley dead_

 _Second Horcrux?_

 _Grimmauld Place is attacked_

 _Move to Manor_

 _Bill and Pansy go out_

 _Manor is attacked_

 _Draco is killed_

 _Hermione sends memories back_

Hermione ripped the paper off of the notepad after reading it over and handed it to Harry. "Put this somewhere safe with the rest of the evidence."

Harry nodded and took the paper

"Now we need to figure out how, when, and why Bellatrix came back," Draco sad leaning back in his chair.

"We should check on Pansy. Her attack happens first. We have a little over a month's head start," Harry said.

"We need to figure out why she targeted who she did. Some of it just seems random," Hermione said standing she began to pace.

"Well I can figure why she attacked me and my mother and even Andromeda," Draco said. "Revenge. Payback for being traitors in her eyes."

"Yes but why Pansy?" Hermione asked, turning to Draco.

He simply looked back at her seeming unsure if she actually wanted him to answer or not. Ron interrupted the silence.

"We need to start by protecting anyone that could be attacked and that includes the two of you," he said gesturing to Hermione and Draco.

"We don't have the resources for that, Ron," Hermione argued.

"She's right, Weasley. And besides, we won't get anything done if Granger are locked up in Potter's house," Draco said. "If we're being watched and we make too drastic of a move, it will get noticed."

"You're right, Malfoy," Harry said. His arms were crossed and he was staring at the floor in front of him, thinking. "We don't have the power to protect everyone right now and I don't want to get the order involved yet. We start with Pansy and work from there, but none of us should be alone if it can be avoided."

They all nodded in agreement.

"I'll talk to Pansy and Blaise. Keep an eye on them. Try and figure out why Pansy was attacked, or may be attacked I guess," Draco said.

"Harry, you should recheck all the recent records to see if there's any dark activity that you missed," Hermione said. Harry nodded. "We also need to get into Narcissa's vault." Hermione looked to Draco.

He looked up from the ground at her and nodded. "I'll work on that too."

Hermione nods and then looks at the clock hanging on the wall. It was getting late and there was only so long they could all stress about this. "We all need to get some rest. We can start again tomorrow." The boys nodded in agreement.

"Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself, Hermione," Harry said.  
"Yes, Harry. Draco was right, if I move out of my house now, we'll get noticed."

Draco's eyebrows perked up slightly at the mention of his first name, but Hermione pretended she hadn't noticed.

"At least let me bring you home." Harry said.

"Harry stop. You should go see Ginny. Stop worrying about me," Hermione said. She then stopped Ron as he opened his mouth. "You too Ronald. Go see your mother for merlin's sake."

They both went to argue again but this time Draco stopped them.

"I'll take her home," he said. "She's clearly not going to let either of you do it, so for fucks sake just go home to your bloody family, and I'll make sure Granger doesn't spontaneously combust."

Neither Harry or Ron looked too happy with this and Hermione wasn't sure how she felt but no one argued with him.

They all began to gather their stuff and leave. Hermione grabbed her notepad and placed it back into her bag.

Then Harry and Ron left headed off to the burrow and Hermione left with Malfoy.

* * *

Hermione stood next to Draco Malfoy on the sidewalk outside of her flat. They had apparated from the Ministry to her street.

"Why did you offer to bring me home?" she asked, breaking the silence as they walked towards the door.

"Because they weren't going to let you go home alone and you clearly weren't going to let them come with you, so I offered. That way everyones frustrated and no one got what they wanted," he said.

Hermione laughed at that. It was a surprising but genuine answer. "Well thank you I guess," she said as they got to the door.

"This whole thing doesn't make us friends, Granger," he suddenly said. "You don't need to thank me. I'm just doing what I have to."

That made Hermione confused and frustrated. "Well, you don't have to do anything."

They just stood and looked at each other in uncomfortable silence for a few moments before Draco turned on his heel and walked down the street without saying anything else.

Hermione let herself into her house and closed the door behind her.

* * *

Draco didn't know why he had said that. He knew he believed himself, this didn't make them friends, but then why was he so confused and angry about it?

He had basically walked the girl home just to tell her to fuck off.

He didn't seem to know how to interact with Granger without being a prick to her. He tried to do something nice and then all of a sudden just turned around and was an arse.

He groaned and apparated to the Manor.

He didn't know what to do about Hermione Granger. He didn't care how Weasley or Potter felt, or what they thought of him, but he didn't want to disappoint Hermione Granger. He didn't necessarily want to impress her, but he didn't want to give her another reason to hate him.

He had really helped himself out with that one tonight.

He groaned again as he made his way through the Manor to his room. He needed this day to be over and for him to just go to sleep.

* * *

Hermione had woken up the next morning and went into the Ministry to meet the boys just like she said they would.

As she stepped out of the floo she saw a familiar blonde head a couple of paces in front of her. She jogged slightly to catch up. "Are you on your way to meet Harry and Ron too?" she said, not really sure of what else to say.

Malfoy looked at her slightly confused. "Yes?" He said. "That is what we agreed we would do yesterday."

Hermione nodded but didn't say anything.

The two of them walked in silence together all the way to the Auror department. They had attracted a few strange glances here and there but they both pretended not to notice.

When they arrived to the Auror department, Hermione could see Ron and Harry down the hall talking to a coworker.

"Harry. Ron," Hermione called out, getting there attention.

Harry and Ron said their goodbyes to the coworker and made their way over to Hermione and Malfoy. Harry did not stop to talk to them but instead nodded his head as a gesture to follow him.

Harry led them to his office and shut the door behind them.

"Today I'm going to look into everything I have to see if theres and dark activity, or anything pointing to Bellatrix being back," he said to all of them. "If any of you hear, see, feel, anything. You tell me. And if you can't find me then you tell another one of us."

"What do you want us to do, Harry?" Ron asked.

"I need you guys to just act normal. We're going on absolutely nothing right now. We don't even know if she's back yet. We're chasing smoke. If we're being watched and we get more noticed then we may already be, she'll disappear and we'll never get her. At normal, but don't get comfortable. Constant vigilance."

Hermione's mouth quirked at Mad-Eye's coined phrase.

"Potter, I'm going to set up a dinner with Pansy and Blaise," Malfoy said. "I'll see if I can get any information out of them. It's quite normal for the three of us to be together. It won't be suspicious."

"Good," Harry said.

"So that's it?" Hermione said. "We just sit around and wait? For what? At what point do we do something?"

"Well first we need to get into the vault and see if she's even back yet," Harry said.

"And if she is?"  
Harry didn't seem to know how to answer.

"We might have to just wait until the day of Pansy's attack," Ron said.

Harry rubbed his forehead, seeming distressed. Malfoy crossed his arms and began slowly pacing the office. Hermione wasn't very fond of the idea either.

"Ron's right," Harry said.

"I know he's bloody right, but that doesn't mean it's good," Draco said turning back to the group. "Pansy's attack is the first thing we have on the timeline. There's a really good chance we're not going to find anything at all until then."

"Which means-" Ron said.

"Which means, that in order to stop Pansy's attack, we're going to have to be there," Hermione finished.

"Stop it," Harry demanded. "We're not there yet. We still have time to try and figure this out. We have a month's head start."

No one said anything else.

* * *

They had meetings like that every morning for a week and a half with nothing happening. One morning Draco finally had some semi good news.

"I finally got a dinner together with Blaise and Pansy," he said. "For tonight."

"That's good," Hermione said.

Harry was still stressed. "What about your mother's vault?"

Malfoy sighed. "She's harder," he said. "My mother doesn't like people having access to her private things and on top of that she works at her own pace. It's hard to convince her when I can't tell her why."

"Well try harder," Harry half shouted.

"You-" Draco went to jump at him.

"Stop it." Hermione had gotten very good at defusing all of the boys anger over the past week. Everyone had gotten quite stressed out and high strung which made fights quite frequent.

Draco took a breath and then continued speaking. "I have mostly convinced her to let us into the vault, but she has to be at least in Gringotts when it happens and she saying 'she'll get around to it'."

Harry groaned, took a breath and recollected himself. "Alright, keep working on your mother and go to dinner with Blaise and Pansy."

Draco nodded.

"Should he really be going out with them alone," Ron said. Hermione seemed surprised at Ron's slight gesture of concern. "I mean, we know that they're being targeted."  
"We're all being targeted, Weasley, and besides it will be more suspicious if any of you are there. And Pansy and Blaise won't talk if they think this has anything to do with you," Draco said.

"Malfoy's right," Hermione agreed. She looked at him. "Be careful."

He nodded.

"Alright we'll meet again tomorrow and talk about what Malfoy found out," Harry said.

* * *

Draco sat at a table in a fancy restaurant waiting for his friends to arrive. He gently adjusted his dress robes as he saw them walk in.

Pansy wore a fitted black dress which matched her pale complexion and her blunt black bob and bangs. Blaise wore black dress robes which reflected a tinge of green when he turned in the light. Blaise always wore a grin on his dark skinned face.

"Hey Draco, Blaise said sitting down to Draco's right.

Pansy seemed a little irritated Blaise hadn't pulled out her chair for her, but she didn't say anything. Pansy was like that, quite a priss. "Hello, Drake."

He didn't like that nickname. But Pansy persistently called him Drake. He had heard her call him that in the memories and was disappointed to see it had stuck in the future.

Pansy sat down across from Draco and next to Blaise.

"It's good to see you both," Draco said. He was oddly tense. He felt like he was lying them, and Draco had no problem with lying, he lied all the time, but it felt like there was a lot more riding on this lie then usual, and it was more likely he was going to get found out.

Blaise and Pansy were two of the only people that could call his bluffs, and on top of that they were also two of the pushiest people he knew. If you wanted someone to get answers Blaise and Pansy were the people you called. They were not, however, the people that gave answers.

"So, Draco. Why have you been spending so much time with the golden trio?" Pansy asked, not even opening her menu first. Draco internally groaned.

"How would you even know I was spending time with them, Pans? You don't even work at the Ministry," Draco said. Pansy didn't have a job. She was an heiress, that was her job. She spent most of her time shopping, bossing people around, and occasionally helping her father out with their family business.

Blaise, on the other hand was a Magical Law Enforcement investigator. They were both always telling Pansy she would be good in that department. Draco had been feeling like an investigator a lot lately, but really he worked in the Department of International Cooperation.

"I have my ways of knowing things Draco Malfoy," Pansy said.

"She's right you've been around them a lot lately," Blaise added.

Draco internally groaned. This is exactly what he hadn't wanted to happen. "It's for work."

"I mean we figured that much Draco," Blaise said.

"What the hell does the Department of International Cooperation have to do with the aurors?" Pansy asked.

"Why does it matter?" Draco said picking up his menu trying to move past this conversation.

"Because it's suspicious enough that the golden trio is working together again," Blaise said leaning towards Draco. "Why are you working with them too?"

"Does it have to do with your attack?" Pansy leaned in closer too. They were all whispering now.

Draco considered it for a moment. "Yes." It was almost the truth and maybe that answer would get the two of them off his back.

"Well then why don't you just talk to us about it?" Pansy said.

"Just drop it okay? I'm not allowed to talk about it even if I wanted to so drop it," Draco said. He then leaned back and took a deep breath. "So what's been going on in your lives?"

Pansy and Blaise looked at each other seeming to consider if they wanted to push Draco anymore. They decided against it. "Things have been good."

Draco mostly made conversation with Pansy. For the first time in his life Blaise didn't seem to have much to say. He would still smile and laugh and interact with them, but he seemed focused on something else.

"How's your family Pansy?" Draco asked at one point.

"They're….good," she said. Something didn't seem right. Even Blaise looked suspicious at that.

"Pans? What's up?"

"I don't know," she said looking between the two of them. "My father has just been acting really strange and I don't know why."

"How so?" Draco asked putting his fork down.

"He's just been very closed off. He's constantly on the floo with someone and I don't know who it is. He's always sending out letters himself rather than giving them to the elves to send out. It's just strange," she said.

That doesn't sound good, Draco thought to himself.

"I'm sure it's fine Pansy, probably just business," Draco said. He needed to tell someone this. Now.

* * *

Hermione sat alone in her living room watching the muggle news. Suddenly there was banging on her door.

It was late at night. She had no idea who could be at the door. She wasn't expecting anyone.

She stood up and grabbed her wand, slowly making her way over to the door. The banging happened again.

She opened the door with her wand ready, but was shocked at who she found. "Malfoy?"

"Pansy's father is talking to death eaters."


End file.
